FIFTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD Mohamed Raffi Safi called ‘Reds’, of Lot 36 East Canefield, Canje, Berbice, was  found in a decomposed state at his home,  two days after he was missed by relatives.

The styrofoam box in which his Friday dinner had been placed remained   hanging on one of the pillars of his two-storey house on Monday when the Guyana Chronicle went there just before noon.
His youngest brother, Mohammed Jamal Safi known as ‘Jumo’, said,  while he lived with his alcoholic elder, he was not worried when the eldest of 10 siblings was not seen.
“He did not work but, sometimes, he would go away for two or three days  and then come back. So, when I did not see him, I was not worried,” the surviving sibling offered.
According to the younger Safi, after leaving the home of another, he went to where he lives about 19:30 hrs on Sunday evening and, prior to retiring to bed, he was looking at television when an obnoxious scent filled his nostrils.
He then went to the bedroom which his brother occupied and saw him lying on his bed.
“I called ‘Reds’, ‘Reds’, but there was no response. I shook him and it was then I observed that his skin peeled off and portions were left in my hand. I became scared and ran to another brother, Munuf. I told him something  happened to ‘Red Man’ and he, along with other relatives, followed me to the scene,  after which the police came and removed the body,” the dead man’s brother related.
He said he did not know ‘Reds’ was in the house. He thought he was somewhere else but did not check for him although he saw the box of food which their niece had prepared for him.
Other relatives informed this newspaper that the dead man’s overseas-based wife and daughter had planned to make a surprise visit on Friday but, after being informed of his demise, are now expected arrive for his funeral today.
Meanwhile, the corpse is at Port Mourant Hospital, Corentyne, also in  Berbice, awaiting a post mortem as police investigations continue.