What was a bittersweet celebration for four close friends turned into a final goodbye for two of them when they met their demise following an accident at Cornelia Ida, on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) late Tuesday night.
Twenty-six-year-old father of one, Romel Henry, of Lot 20 Second Street, Windsor Forest, WCD and 26-year-old route 32-minibus conductor, Doesh Sukhu of Lot 12 Gap Road, La Jalousie, WCD were both pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital at around 00:30h on Wednesday.
Dead: Doesh Sukhu
It is reported that the duo were out drinking with two other friends; one of whom was expected to leave Guyana on Wednesday to permanently reside in the USA.
According to the Police, investigations so far reveals that at around 23:30h on Tuesday, motor car PSS 413 driven by 25-year-old Mohammed Zahirulla Osman of Pakistan Street, La Jalousie with occupants Henry, Sukhu and 29-year-old Rajendra Nandalall of 58 Third Street, Windsor Forest, was proceeding East along the northern carriageway of the Corneila Ida Public Road, when Osman lost control of the vehicle.
After losing control of the vehicle, it crashed into a fence followed by a lamppost before coming to a halt in a yard on the northern side of the road.
The driver and the occupants were rushed to West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where Henry and Sukhu were pronounced dead on arrival. While Nandalall was treated and sent away, Osman was transferred to Woodlands Hospital where he is a patient under guard.
When Guyana Times visited the scene of the accident, it was cleared of all debris and residents reported seeing or hearing no accident.
Dead: Romel Henry
Sukhu’s father, Paul Persaud, related that he got a call at around 00:30h and immediately rushed to the WDRH where he saw his only son’s lifeless body.
“I went to the Hospital and when I went there they tell me to identify the body. It was the two of them, I identified it, and the doctors said that he died on arrival. His body was smooth but no major damage but the back of his head was bleeding,” he related.
“He went with a friend who was scheduled to leave the country last night and they went and have couple beers and they were heading back,” he added.
The elder Sukhu further stated that the Police are yet to inform the family of their findings despite repeated requests. He also explained that his son is a farmer and part-time minibus conductor.
The grieving father said he lived alone with his son and describes him as a humble, peaceful and kind individual.
Meanwhile, Henry’s mother, Saleta Parbudin, said she is unaware of the circumstances surrounding her son’s death since information is not forthcoming.
“I don’t know what time (I received the call) but my cousin called me and said that my nephew ah come with this car to come collect you to go collect Rome ah CI (Cornelia Ida). When they carry me, there is no Rome and they carry me to Best (WDRH). I didn’t get to see my son. I hear they said two person dead already so me say ‘weh meh son?’ ‘Me want see meh son’ and me start scream and me run to the door at the Best Hospital and meh brother and boujee (sister-in-law) bring me home back and me nah get fuh see meh son, till today (Wednesday) meh nah get fuh see meh son,” the grieving mother related.
Fighting back tears, Parbudin added that her son came home from lunch around midday on Tuesday and went back out to his barbershop and never returned home.
Relatives who identified Henry’s body said the young man’s body was badly mangled and suspected his entire left shoulder and leg were broken. They said he also had a gaping hole to the side of his head.
Henry leaves to mourn his wife and nine-month-old son.
Both bodies are at the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour awaiting post-mortem examinations which are expected to be performed on Friday. Police investigations are ongoing.
