FIVE years after a 55-year-old woman and her nine-year-old granddaughter were killed, while in their home in Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, their killer has confessed to the crime.

Joshua Eze Franklin, on Tuesday, October 01, 2019, confessed to Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court, when the October Criminal Assizes opened.
Franklin was initially indicted on two counts of murder but opted to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter.

He admitted that on December 18, 2014, at Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, he unlawfully killed his mother-in-law, Bibi Zalima Khan, and step-daughter, Ashley Boodhoo.
Franklin’s attorney Mark Conway requested a probation report be prepared for his client before sentencing.

State Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs told the court that, on December 18, 2014, Franklin went to his mother-in-law’s home and carried out a ‘chopping spree’, while armed with a cutlass. He attacked Khan and dealt her several chops with the cutlass before turning his attention to Ashley Boodhoo. The child was chopped about her body.
The Guyana Chronicle had reported that, during the melee, Franklin attacked his reputed wife and dealt her several chops about her body.

The woman managed to escape from the house and hid in the verandah of a neighbour’s house. She lost her left hand from the wrist down due to the attack. Her friend, Floyd Drakes was allegedly attacked and killed by Franklin.
In his address to the court, Franklin said that Drakes was his reputed wife’s ‘sweet-man’ and he was inside his Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo home
However, as it related to the said home, his mother-in-law was staying over at the time and the property does not belong to her.

Justice Kissoon adjourned the matter until October 16, 2019, for probation report and sentencing.