-says no call was made to 914 hotline

THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, on Sunday, publicly condemned the brutal murder of 48-year-old Malini Wahid, who was strangled, on Friday, by her 50-year-old reputed husband, Balram Heeralall called ‘Nappy’.

Relatives had told the media that Wahid endured years of abuse at the hands of the man and that calls to the domestic violence hotline – 914 – went unanswered. They said by the time the police arrived, Wahid was dead.

The ministry, in a statement which was posted on its Facebook page and released to the media, said that an investigation was immediately launched to ascertain the reason behind the alleged unanswered calls.

“Upon receipt of those allegations, an investigation was immediately launched which included thorough review by Digicel and GTT and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security of all calls placed to the 914 hotline on that day, a review of the ministry’s internal call logs and several interviews with the personnel who manage the 914 hotline,” the statement said.

It added that the findings of the investigation revealed that no calls placed to the 914 hotline by any GTT or Digicel number on December 10, 2021 were missed (unanswered) or dropped.

Additionally, it was uncovered that there were no reports received by the 914 hotline on December 10, 2021, in relation to Heeralall’s abuse and murder of his partner.

Further, no report, to date, was made to the 914 hotline on Heeralall’s abuse and murder of his partner. According to the findings, the hotline was receiving and responding to calls for the 24 hours on the day in question during which operators received numerous reports of other incidents of abuse.

A police report detailed that the couple lived together at Martyrs Ville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and would normally have domestic issues. Heeralall was before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s court for assaulting and threatening the woman.

Police said that, on Friday, the couple appeared before the court and they were both sent home. Heeralall later left home to sell clothing, and, on his way, he called his wife and told her that a horse hit his car and she must visit him at Triumph Public Road.

However, she did not go. About 20:15 hrs, he arrived home with his car and complained of feeling pain in his chest and she rubbed his chest and offered him tea which he refused.

He then requested to go to the doctor in his car and asked her to accompany him. However, she insisted that they take a taxi and this resulted in an argument.

The woman was later heard crying for help. According to the police, a neighbour responded by jumping the fence and saw Heeralall choking Wahid on the floor of the living room. He was reportedly telling her to die as he choked her.

He later laid next to the woman’s body after ingesting a suspected poisonous substance. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by paramedics of the Melanie Fire Station but died shortly after arrival.