A teenager remains in police custody after a 55-year-old fisherman was fatally struck outside a Dukestown supermarket on Wednesday night, an attack his family says should never have turned violent.
Police said the incident occurred at about 9:00pm on Wednesday, in the vicinity of the supermarket at Corriverton, involving Asmat Mohamed Hussain, called Kadar. The teenager is assisting with the investigation.
Kadar’s nephew, 32-year-old Azim Hussain, said he was alerted by screaming and arrived at the scene to find his uncle seriously injured and struggling to breathe.
“After he lash Kadar or he cuffed Kadar, or what, Kadar fall down and he knocked his head and he left unconscious,” Hussain said, adding that he remained unsure what triggered the confrontation.
Hussain said he later heard that his uncle had been struck with a bottle before being cuffed and falling to the ground, though he did not personally witness the initial assault. He said bottles were present at the scene and his uncle sustained a head injury.
“Well whatever, he wrong or he right, he’s not supposed to hit the man. He’s a juvenile. If you and a man get little arguments, you’re not supposed to hit him,” Hussain said.
Kadar was taken to hospital by relatives but remained unconscious and did not recover.
His sister, Bibi Gewan, said several relatives had been near the supermarket when the incident occurred. She said her brother had gone in to purchase two beers and was returning when people suddenly began running.
“They was at the culvert sit down there and he go in the shop to buy two beer. And he coming out. And all of what they see, people start to run,” Gewan said.
Relatives followed the crowd and found her brother lying on the ground with a large amount of blood nearby. Her husband was alerted and went to the scene, after which another brother and a nephew helped transport Kadar to hospital.
Gewan said the family remained unclear about what triggered the incident and could not confirm whether an argument had taken place beforehand. She described her brother as kind, loving and friendly, and not known to be violent.
“He’s a very kind person, loving. He’s never a fighting person or anything. He’s very friendly,” she said.
The incident follows concerns previously raised by the Guyana Police Force over juvenile involvement in serious crimes in Region Six. In June, Region Six Deputy Commander Superintendent Guy Nurse said police had recorded 13 cases involving juveniles for the year, two of them murder matters, describing the trend as alarming. He said the juveniles were either before the court or awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding Hussain’s death are continuing.
