Bagotstown man slapped with murder charge

Water dispute

Forty-one-year-old Sheldon John Bowen of Water Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge detailing that, on April 25 last, he allegedly unlawfully murdered Mark Ifill, also known as “Yankee”, during a brawl stemming from a dispute involving the filling of water bottles.

The incident that had reportedly led to the fatal stabbing of Mark Ifill had to do with Ifill filling bottles of water along a pathway which led to Bowen’s house on the day in question.

Bowen had reportedly approached Ifill and demanded that he remove from the location, instructing him to “stop fulling water”, but Ifill had continued to fill his containers and load them into his wheelbarrow.

This allegedly so infuriated Bowen that he started a fight with the now dead man, drawing a knife in the process. He reportedly was hit numerous times with a bat as Ifill tried to prevent himself from being stabbed.

Bowen allegedly managed to stab Ifill to the abdomen despite Ifill’s defence, and Ifill succumbed to his injuries shortly after, as no one wanted to transport him to the hospital in their vehicle.

A report was made to the police and the accused was apprehended after reportedly hiding the murder weapon.

Bowen is expected to return to court on May 18, 2017.