By Rehana Ahamad

RAVINDRA Ramdeen, called “Ravin”, has confessed to killing 53-year-old Marilyn Singh, the South Cummings Lodge woman who was found dead, naked on her bed on Friday, December 11, 2020. Ramdeen, a security guard, is the reputed husband of Singh’s step-niece, Surita Brigemohan. Bridgemohan, 28, is the same relative who was charged for brutally beating and wounding Singh with a spade back in June. According to the police, 47-year-old Ramdeen confessed to strangling Singh after she refused to have sex with him a second time on Thursday night. He claimed that he and Singh, well known in her community as Jean, shared an intimate relationship, and that the woman had invited him to ‘sneak over’ that night. Singh, along with Ramdeen, his wife and other relatives, shared the same home; however, after Singh filed assault charges against her step-niece, both she and her husband (Ramdeen) were asked to move.

Ramdeen told investigators that he had consumed a quantity of Vodka before visiting Singh, and that the woman, upon letting him in, became annoyed by his drinking. The accused said that he then “held onto” Singh, and as she was walking backwards, she fell onto the bed. Ramdeen said that he then took off the woman’s clothes, after which they became intimate, and that “after he finished, they lie down.” The man told police that as Singh was attempting to “get up”, he pulled her back onto the bed, causing her to hit her head. Ramdeen claimed that Singh then shouted his name twice, after which he “choked her and went home”. A neighbour told the police that she heard the woman’s faint screams around 02:26 hrs on Friday morning. “She was screaming saying, ‘Ravin! Ravin! What you doing?’” the neighbour related.

The neighbour related that she “peeped around,” but saw nothing. Singh’s neighbour, Madonna Ghanie does not believe that “Ravin” and Singh shared an intimate relation. “Anybody in the village would tell you that Jean never liked him; they don’t ever get along,” Ghanie related.
It was Ghanie who used her Facebook page to highlight “the constant abuse” that Singh faced, at the hands of her step-neice, Ramdeen’s reputed wife.
The alleged abuser, Bridgemohan, is expected to make an appearance at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court today, December 18, to answer to assault charges.
After being allegedly beaten by Bridgemohan with a spade, Singh was badly wounded, with her teeth piercing through her chin.
“Jean”, who would have celebrated her birthday on Sunday, seemed to have been well-loved in her community. Every night since her death, neighbours have come together to host wakes and a nightly vigil.