…was reacting to rumours of infidelity

A MAN killed himself after he attempted to kill his reputed wife at Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, on Tuesday.

The police said in a release that 39-year-old Ian English a labourer of 11 Kuru Kururu Squatting Area severely wounded his common-law wife, Malicia Andrews, 30. He was later discovered hanging from a tree some distance from where the incident occurred.

Andrews, a maid of Swan Village, Kuru Kururu, is presently in the Surgical Theatre of the Georgetown Public Hospital in a critical condition; English’s body is at Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem. A police investigation has revealed that the couple was experiencing domestic problems and about 15:30hrs on Tuesday, the victim’s mother was counselling English at her home when he allegedly went downstairs, returned with a cutlass and inflicted several chops about his reputed wife’s body; he then allegedly cut a piece of rope and ventured into the nearby bushes.

Meanwhile, Andrews’ sister Carmelita, who accompanied her to the GPH told the Guyana Chronicle that her sibling is conscious but critical and is being prepared for emergency surgery, having undergone a CT scan. Carmelita added that Andrews was administered blood since she lost a lot after being chopped repeatedly; she spoke to her briefly before she was taken away for medical attention.

The scene was visited at 18:00hrs by Detective Superintendent Wright; Detective Assistant Superintendent of Police Whittaker; Detective Inspector Singh; and Detective Inspector Henry. The investigation has revealed that Andrews and English shared a relationship for about four years; a relationship that saw the birth of one child.

Reports are that on Tuesday English and Andrews, who were experiencing problems in their relationship due to rumours of infidelity, were heard arguing. As a result, she left her home and went to her mother , Janet Domingo, who lives nearby. The police said English went and engaged them and Janet, the mother, tried to counsel him. English then left, went downstairs, returned with a cutlass and inflicted several chops about Andrews’ body.
Andrews collapsed and was picked up and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre; there she received initial treatment and was transferred to the GPH in a critical condition. Andrews is presently in the surgical theatre.

Meanwhile, English having inflicted the injuries on Andrews cut a rope from her mother, Janet’s hammock and ventured into some nearby bushes. A search was mounted and English was found with a cement sling around his neck, hanging from a tree about 200 meters in the bushes with the cutlass near his body. The scene was photographed by Constable 22637 Hannibal from the Scenes of Crime Unit. Several persons were interviewed and statements were taken.

Domingo told reporters that her daughter came to her house at about 15:30hrs saying that she had a row with English. The elderly woman related that soon after her daughter came, English showed up and began quarrelling as he stood in the rain and she invited him in to try to settle the issue between the two. Domingo stated that she tried talking to English, but he was angry and his rage intensified when her daughter refused to accompany him to her home.

She added that English in a fit of rage ran upstairs to Andrews and she tried to shut the door on him but was overpowered and he gained entry into the house; he took a cutlass which was on the veranda and began chopping her. Domingo told reporters on Tuesday night that she tried to intervene to bring about peace, but English began issuing threats and when she tried to part the duo he pushed her down after he had inflicted a few lashes about her body. At that point, Domingo said she became frightened, because she realised there was nothing she could do to help her daughter. She exited the house to inform neighbours when she saw English still chopping away at her daughter.

Domingo said the couple lived together for three years, but English was married with eight children. His wife and children lived in Kuru Kururu and he would enjoy the pleasure of both homes. Domingo told the media that the couple was arguing because he was upset she was ‘talking’ to another man and he disapproved, even though he never saw her talking to the person but was told that she does. “Is jealousy make he do this thing, she keep telling him she got nothing to do with the man but he insisted she had ‘something’ going on with the man,” Domingo said.

The woman stated that she was however surprised at English’s behaviour, since she had no idea that was how he was treating her daughter. She said, “I said Ian look how you mek meh hand fall, I never know you does behave so and is only today I learn of everything that going on and Ian wasn’t known to abuse my daughter and we keep talking to him and we tell he that dis thing stemmed from stupidness, but he just deh pon dis one topic.”
Domingo is hoping that her daughter survives since she has six children. Andrews worked at a dog food business place and is a member of the Swan Strikers Cricket team.