GOVERNMENT Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh gave testimony about a post-mortem examination he performed on 76-year-old Ruby, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) businessman, Habiboodean, who was murdered in 2008. Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean and the man she allegedly hired to kill her father are currently on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a jury at the Demerara High Court. The woman and Linden Lewis, called “Bullet”, have both pleaded not guilty to murdering the elder Habiboodean on February 15, 2008 at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo. The State is being represented by Senior State Prosecutor Lisa Cave, while Attorneys-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat and Roger Yearwood are on record for the accused. During Monday’s hearing, Dr. Singh told the court that the elderly man died from multiple injuries to the head, chest and neck as a result of blunt trauma. He also said that the victim sustained several broken ribs, and was haemorrhaging in the brain. The matter has been adjourned until Thursday, August 26.  It is alleged that Bibi not only hired Lewis to kill her father, but also helped him to gain access to her father’s house on February 15, 2008.

Reports are that when the “hitman” entered the businessman’s home, he found the elderly businessman sitting in a chair, and proceeded to strike him repeatedly, causing him to later succumb to his injuries at a hospital. Bibi was charged along with another man shortly after the murder was committed, but they were both discharged by a magistrate due to insufficient evidence. Lewis, who had fled to the “interior”, was arrested by the police two years later. Word is that the police got a breakthrough in the case after Lewis and four others were detained for the murder of one Mohamed Munir, 75, and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir, 69, who were reportedly burnt to death at their Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo home in 2016. While in custody, someone tipped off investigators that Lewis had vital information about Habiboodean’s death. He allegedly confessed and told the police that he was paid by Bibi to kill her father.  Shortly after, Bibi turned herself in to the police, and reportedly provided investigators with a statement that was consistent with that given by her father’s alleged killer. Bibi and Lewis were later charged.