POLICE are combing the Ulverston backlands of Central Corentyne, Region Six, for 40-year-old cane harvester Winston Benjamin, also called “Blood”, who on Monday viciously stabbed to death his reputed wife Yansen Brusch at a grocery shop in Ulverston Village.The 38-year-old victim, of Lot 20 Second Street Ulverston, operated a canteen at the Alness Primary School. She had been in a relationship with her assailant for the past 18 years, and had mothered four children for him.

Relatives told Guyana Chronicle that the relationship between Benjamin and Brusch had been ‘on and off’ because Benjamin’s violent nature would cause their frequent separation. However, they would still maintain a somewhat cordial relationship.

According to shopkeeper Beverly Green, a cousin of the victim, at about 14:00hrs on Monday, Brusch came into her shop to purchase Kool Aid, and a moment later Benjamin came in to purchase sugar. As Brusch noticed Benjamin, she moved away from the counter to give him the way; and upon noticing this, Green decided to question her actions.

“Yansen come in the shop to buy Kool Aid, and less than a minute (later), Winston come in fuh sugar. So when she see he she move aside; so I ask she ‘what happen to y’all?’, and Yansen say she weary quarrel and weary sin she soul, and let God or the court decide’,” Green related.

Upon hearing the response by Brusch, Green said, Benjamin immediately whipped out a knife and began to viciously stab Brusch about the body.
Green said she tried to grab the knife from over the counter, but was unsuccessful; so she ran around and held on to Benjamin while Brusch tried to escape.

“I try fuh hold on to Winston to prevent he from getting to Yansen. She try fuh go out the side but couldn’t pass, so she run in front; but the gate lock, so she run inside the house and collapse on the chair… Winston shirt tear off and he tell me fuh loose he. So I did, and he run towards the backdam,” the shopkeeper related.

She further related that during the entire ordeal Benjamin did not utter a word, but continued to stab Brusch.

“All the time he stabbing her he nah say nothing, he just juking she all over…. The police say she got five stab wounds, but I see he firing more at her; but like he miss, cause she did screaming and running from he.”

Still covered in blood, Green related that she called the police while she stopped a car and rushed Brusch to the Port Mourant Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Roxane Brush, sister of the victim, said she had just returned from the hospital with her father who was ill when she heard her sister screaming.
She ran towards the shop and saw Benjamin bolting from the grip of Green while clutching a knife as he headed towards the direction of the backdam.

As she got closer to the shop, she noticed blood “all over the place” and saw her sister clutching her side before collapsing on the floor.

Roxanne is hoping that Benjamin is caught and brought to justice.
Police have sent a search party in the Corentyne backlands to capture Benjamin.