A 35-year-old man and his reputed wife are battling for their lives after they were set on fire while sleeping at their mining camp at Toroparo Landing, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), on Thursday morning.
Lyndon Joseph and 30-year-old Maria Da Silva are patients in the burn unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Based on reports received, the couple attended a birthday celebration in the area on Wednesday evening during which they received information that the suspect was in their mining camp.
The businessman and his wife left the party in haste and upon arriving at the mining camp, they saw the suspect. Joseph reportedly picked up a cutlass and dealt the man several lashes to his body.
The suspect left the camp but according to reports, returned at about 04:00h on Thursday and proceeded to dowse gasoline on the couple and set them alight. He has since escaped the scene, leaving the camp to burn.
The couple was rescued by public-spirited persons and taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where they were treated and medivacked to the GPHC. Both Joseph and his wife would have sustained about 80 per cent burns about their body.
The businessman is formerly of Jango Town, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
