An East Berbice woman was on Wednesday found bound and dead in her Tain Village, Corentyne home.
Dead: 83-year-old Chandarie Budhoo, called “Auntie Dayo”
Dead is 83-year-old Chandarie Budhoo, called ‘Auntie Dayo’, of Lot 83 Sixth Street, Tain, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
At time of this discovery, two bags packed with items from the home were found, leading investigators to believe the perpetrator(s) may have left those bags behind.
Budhoo had been living alone for the past two decades. Her home had been broken into twice this year, and on both occasions, she had been tied up. Persons passing her home last April had heard her calling for help. It had been reported that on that occasion both her feet and hands had been bound, and the perpetrators had slapped her several times while demanding valuables. They had escaped with an undisclosed sum of local and foreign currencies, together with a gold chain and a gold bangle.
Undertakers removing the woman’s body
This newspaper was told that the woman had been a frequent visitor to the United States, but had spent most of her time in Guyana.
A resident of the community, Lilowtie Samaroo, said she went to take breakfast for Budhoo at about 07:30h when she noticed both the gate and the door to the house were open. As she attempted to enter the building, she noticed a few bags lying on the floor, and realised that something was amiss.
She said she made an about turn, and dashed towards the gate calling for help. She said villagers who were in the vicinity rushed to her aid and went into the house, where one of the neighbours noticed the building had been ransacked.
“When I went, I see the back door open and she on the ground on the sponge [mattress],” the neighbour related. He said she was lying face down and her feet and hands were bound. He said that the Police were called and undertakers subsequently arrived and took the woman out of the pool of blood in which she was lying. A Police officer was seen leaving the house with what appeared to be a machete, along with other items. Police have since arrested two persons – aged 21 and 31. One of the persons arrested lives within close proximity to Budhoo’s home.
The Lot 83 Sixth Street, Tain, Corentyne home of the late Chandarie Budhoo
Samaroo said she and her mother had, over the years, been taking turns at providing Budhoo’s meals. She had taken lunch on Monday, and her mother had visited in the afternoon to take dinner. She left the home at about 17:00h.
The discovery of what had befallen the late Chandarie Budhoo has sent shock waves through the closely-knit community. (Andrew Carmichael)
