A father of two is now dead and his brother injured after they were allegedly stabbed by a man to whom they denied access to a koker at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
Dead: Sigmond Gouveia
Dead is 36-year-old Sigmond Gouveia of Vreed-en-Hoop Jetty, WCD, and his injured brother, 37-year-old Neville Gouveia.
Police in a statement on Sunday said that Neville is employed as a security guard at the Dock Yard, Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling and Sigmond was there with him on Saturday night.
At about 23:10h a boat docked at the koker and a man exited before it departed. Upon seeing him, Sigmond told the man that he could not use the area for passage. There was a verbal confrontation and Sigmond advised the man to call the boat back so they could take him away, which he did.
Another argument ensued between them and the suspect dealt him a stab to his abdomen, causing him to fall to the ground in an unconscious state. Sigmond’s brother Neville, who was present, approached the suspect, however, he too received stab wounds to his right upper arm and chest.
The boat returned shortly after with over 10 persons on board, all of whom were armed with pieces of wood and cutlasses. They collected the suspect and headed across the river.
Neville Gouveia on his hospital bed
Both victims were picked up by the Police and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where Sigmond was pronounced dead on arrival, while his 37-year-old brother was admitted as a patient.
In an interview with Guyana Times, the duo’s elder sister Tateka Beharry related that Sigmond had gotten home from work earlier in the night and visited his brother at his worksite. He asked Neville to accompany him home since he had a quantity of cash in his possession and did not want to risk going home alone.
Beharry said that she visited Neville in the hospital and he related that Sigmond sought permission from the senior security guard for them to go to his home. The brothers went to Sigmond’s home and dropped off the cash.
“The one that die (Sigmond) told his wife that he going and follow his brother (Neville) right back by the (Vreed-en-Hoop) junction and he coming back. So, she tell he don’t lock the door that she will get up and lock the door and which he end up and go with his brother till by the boathouse and he decided to spend the night at the watch place,” Beharry related.
Sigmond and Neville reportedly purchased one Guinness each before heading back to the worksite and a short while after they got there, they saw a boat speeding towards the Vreed-en-Hoop koker. At that point, the woman related, the senior security guard approached the man that disembarked the boat and confronted him.
“The senior watchman telling the boy not to bring your boat here because we don’t plant post fuh ayo these come and park you boat here and I tell you mustn’t come fuh pass through here,” she said.
Beharry said at that point, Sigmond jumped in and told the suspect that he was not allowed there. The suspect then whipped out his phone and made a call and whilst on the phone, Beharry related, he took out a knife and started stabbing Sigmond.
Sigmond collapsed to the ground and called out to the other security guard and said “Ram, I just get jook bai” before losing consciousness. Neville then confronted the suspect, saying “Bai you just jook meh brother” after which the man turned his knife on Neville and stabbed him to his arm and rib area.
By that time, she said, the boat returned, filled with about 18-20 persons all armed with cutlasses and other weapons. The suspect boarded the boat and made good his escape.
The woman said that Neville is currently nursing a punctured lung and remains in a stable condition at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.
She added that Sigmond was a boat builder and would ply his trade wherever the work was available but mostly with a local seafood company or in Suriname.
“He is not a violent person and that is the thing that beating us up. He is not a violent person and it is just because he stand up for his brother and he went and keep his brother company. He didn’t deserve that,” the grieving woman said.
Beharry said that the Police related on Sunday afternoon that they have one person in custody as the investigation continues.
Sigmond leaves to mourn his wife and two children – aged one and three years old.
