By Nafeeza Yahya

THE Udho family of No.70 village, Berbice, left their home on Christmas Eve to go to the busy Corriverton area for a lime and to cash in on any last-minute Christmas deals; however, they never made it past three houses from where they live as they were brutally attacked by a jealous cutlass-wielding former lover of a family member.

In the aftermath of the attack, the man’s former girlfriend 23-year-old Bhartie Udho,had received several wounds about her body, including the head and lost her right arm and two fingers. Her 43-year-old mother, Amika Udho, suffered several chops about the body,

including the neck and lost her right middle finger.

The younger daughter of the family, 18-year-old Alisa Ali also suffered several chops about the body after attempting to rescue her mother and sister.

The alleged attacker, who has been identified as 27-year-old Shamar Mohamed Ally also known as ‘Crabman’ has gone into hiding.

According to Alisa, the incident occurred about 20:30hrs as the family left home for Skeldon.

“Between 8 and 8:30, we left to go catch car on the road to go Skeldon and when we turn to go on the street, I stepped back because my shoe strap was loose… then I don’t know where this man come from but he throw a rope around my sister neck and dragged her to the ground. When she fell, he got on his knees and pulled out a cutlass from his right side and started to broadside her,” the traumatised teenager told this newspaper.

Alisa related that her mother then tried to push ‘Crabman’ away with the help of her two brothers, but he remained planted on the ground. At this point the traumatised teen recalled that the attacker became enraged and started to chop her mother and sister, while she kept her two younger brothers, ages 14 and 17, at bay.

“After them try to push him off, he start chop me sister and mother, he chop me sister on she forehead, neck back and cut off her fingers when she try to bar the cutlass…the same thing happened to my mother when she try fuh hold back the cutlass, she lose she middle finger on she right hand.”

The young woman said after she realised the attacker was not letting up, she decided to intervene by trying to push him away from her sister, but he turned the cutlass on her, dealing her several hits about her arms and shoulders before returning to her sister.

At this point, Alisa recalled that he fired a chop towards her sister, who attempted to block it causing her right arm to be severed from the elbow. Alisa intervened again, only to be hit several times more, but allowed the attacker to turn his attention away from her sister, whom he seemed hell bent on killing.

By this time her youngest sister, 16-year-old Afeeda, had heard the screams and ran out to the street only to be chased away by the cutlass-wielding man, who ran away after her father came out.

“When my dad came out ‘Crabman’ ran away, dad was confused seeing me holding my mother covered in blood and my sister with her hand chopped off, that he started to shout and the neighbours came and lend us their car to take them to the hospital.”

Alisa related that upon arrival at the Skeldon Hospital, they were immediately rushed by ambulance to the New Amsterdam hospital and later transferred to the Georgetown Public hospital, where her family underwent surgery and are being kept in the intensive care unit. Their condition is listed as stable but serious.

An abusive relationship
Upon inquiring what may have triggered the attack, Alisa related that the incident stemmed from her sister, Bhartie ending the relationship she had shared with the suspect since 2011.
According the Alisa, her sister decided to end the short relationship in 2011 after noticing that even though the relationship was not serious, Ally was very jealous, demanding and abusive.

This did not sit well with Ally, as he would verbally abuse Bhartie whenever he saw her and on several occasions held her against her will, taking her to remote locations.

However, on each occasion she managed to call someone to get her.

The sister further noted that several reports were made to the police station and the matter would end up in court, however, the case was always postponed to a later date.

As the constant abuse continued, Bhartie, a graduate of the University of Guyana, was forced to quit her job as a teacher at the #56 Primary School after the suspect would show up before and after school.

Despite moving on with his life by marrying and fathering two children, the suspect still continued to harass and abuse Bhartie whenever she ventured outside her home, Alisa said.

This she said, forced Bhartie to remain indoors and the suspect then attempted to gain entry into the home in early 2016. The matter was reported and a restraining order was placed on Ally.

Meanwhile, the father of the home, Abdul Ali, told the Guyana Chronicle that he has always been fearful for his daughter’s life after noticing the suspect’s behaviour. He explained that the threats have been going on for quite some time and had the police acted more sternly, the incident could have been prevented.

He is however hoping that the police can capture the suspect so that justice can be served.