AFTER facing the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for almost two years for the murder of his 83– year – old bedridden father, Ali Mohammed was recently deemed fit to stand trial following a psychiatric report.
Since January 2015, 40-year-old Mohammed made his first court appearance and was remanded for allegedly killing Mohamed Suleiman on January 13, 2015 at their Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara home.
During his first arraignment, former Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, had ordered that Mohammed undergo a psychiatric evaluation, after his attorney stated that he was not competent to stand trial. The matter was then transferred to City Magistrate Fabayo Azore, who in 2016 ordered that Mohammed undergo another psychiatric evaluation.
Recently, the psychiatric report, done by Dr. Bhairo Harry, deemed Mohammed mentally fit to stand trial. The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder has since commenced before Magistrate Azore and a police witness has so far testified. The PI has been adjourned until July 25.
According to reports, on the day in question, Mohammed armed himself with a piece of wood and dealt his sister several lashes causing her to run out of the house. The accused went into the bedroom where his father, who was bedridden since suffering a stroke, was and dealt the elderly man several lashes with the wood. The man was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH). He subsequently died.