Suspect to make court appearance today

Atlantic Gardens murder

Rafeek Khan who was found hiding in the ceiling of the Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home of murdered businesswoman Sattie Monica Beekharry on Monday is expected to make an appearance today at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

A murder charge was instituted against Khan after legal advice was sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
On Monday, June 1, the motionless body of Beekharry, a 61-year-old mother of four, was found in a pool of blood in her home.
On the day in question, neighbours reportedly heard a heated argument between the now dead woman and the suspect after she refused to loan him money.

It was reported that during the argument, the woman was heard telling Khan that he had an outstanding sum for her and she could not loan him any more money.
From all indications, this angered the man who picked up a knife and slit Beekharry’s throat. The marks of violence about her body revealed that she was also beaten.
Upon hearing the commotion, neighbours summoned the Police, who found the woman’s body lying on the floor. The suspect was at the time hiding in the ceiling of the house thus officers used tear gas to extract him.
An autopsy conducted on the woman’s body by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Mortuary revealed that the woman died as a result of brain haemorrhage caused by multiple trauma to head, compounded by multiple fractures of the right-side rib cage.
The elderly woman who had lived in Canada for several years had only returned to Guyana a few weeks before the March 2 General and Regional Elections in order to cast her ballot. Her departure was further delayed by the local coronavirus outbreak.
Khan is said to have been a close friend of the now dead woman.