SHIVNANAND Henry called ‘Sunny’, a 29-year-old construction worker of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, on Friday appeared before the Leonora Magistrate’s Court on a murder charge and was remanded to prison.

Henry was not required to plead to the charge which was read to him by Magistrate Zamilla Ali-Seepaul.

It is alleged that he murdered Bibi Naseefa Baksh, a 48-year-old housewife, at their home on July 2.

The case was adjourned to August 25 for report.

Police had said, in a press release, that on the day in question, between 04:30hours and 05:30hours, while imbibing, Baksh and Henry had an argument during which “the suspect (Henry) began beating Baksh, kicking her down [the] wooden stairs and dragging her to the roadway, where he dealt her several kicks and lashes with a piece of wood about her body.”

After the beating, the suspect and the victim’s 12-year-old daughter assisted Baksh back into the house.

The woman was taken to her room and helped onto the bed. A short while after, she was observed to be motionless.

“The suspect left the home in an unknown direction. Public-spirited persons subsequently informed the police as the victim’s 12-year-old daughter raised an alarm. On arrival, police observed the woman lying motionless in the bedroom. What appears to be abrasions were seen on the woman’s forehead, shoulder, arms and knees,” the police had disclosed.

She was later pronounced dead at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.

Henry fled the scene but was later arrested.