–had attended court hours before on assault charges

A CLOTHES vendor, who had earlier attended court for domestic abuse, murdered his reputed wife and then took his own life on Friday night at their Martyrs Ville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) residence.

Dead is 48-year-old Malini Wahid and 50-year-old Balram Heeralall called ‘Nappy’. A police report detailed that the couple lived together and would normally have domestic issues as Heeralall is currently before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s court for assaulting and threatening the woman.

Police said that on Friday, the couple were before the court and they were both released to return 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 hours on Friday, he arrived home with his car and complained of feeling pain in his chest and she then rubbed his chest and offered him tea which he refused.

He then requested to go to the doctor in his car and for her to accompany him but she insisted that they take a taxi and an argument ensued.

Police said that during her cries for help, a neighbour jumped the fence and saw Heeralall choking Wahid while she laid on the floor of the living room; he was reportedly telling her to die as he choked her.

He then lay next to Wahid as he took his life. Heralall was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by paramedics of the Melanie Fire Station, where he died shortly after.

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