Gruesome killing rocks Better Hope…Man hacks off uncle’s head over land dispute
Allegedly upset with the court cases involving his aunt over a plot of land at Lot 125 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, a 27-year-old man beheaded his uncle before surrendering to police yesterday morning.
The suspect, identified as Dwayne Tappin a former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank, turned himself in to ranks at the Sparendaam Police Station, some hours after killing his uncle, Randolph Seenauth, 51.
Seenauth’s headless body was found in the wooden cottage where he resided.
Commander of Police ‘C’ Division Calvin Brutus, who was at the scene, said that Seenauth and his nephew lived in separate apartments on the plot of land.
He said that at around 04:30hrs neighbours heard a loud commotion coming from one of the apartments but there was silence for a few minutes which led them to suspect something was amiss.
Neighbours called out for Seenauth but got no response and later contacted the Sparendaam Police Station, the Commander disclosed. Police ranks arrived shortly after and upon pushing the front door to Seenauth’s apartment, found his head lying in a passageway between the living room and kitchen. Further checks were made in the apartment and the rest of the man’s body was discovered on a mattress in the bedroom. Brutus stated the murder weapon was not recovered despite searches on both apartments.
Indra Kowlessar, a sister of the slain man, said that Tappin, who is her nephew, was always in the habit of beating her brother. According to the woman, her family is involved in a dispute over the land which her mother died and left for her. She disclosed that the dispute is engaging the attention of the High Court. She said that her sister, who is Tappin’s mother, lived on the land for several years before building her home at Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
After her sister moved out, Kowlessar said the woman’s daughter lived there with her partner who also was in the habit of beating Seenauth, an epileptic. She said that the situation became overbearing and she served her niece with a lawyer’s letter and she eventually moved out.
ALLEGED KILLER: Dwayne Tappin
“They does beat he (Seenauth). You know how much time I make report to the station. They beat he a time and tear off his clothes and I took him at the station. They burst his head all…”
“But still they does come here. The mother does come here. So I take them to the High Court for this property. They are not supposed to come here. Every time I fence this yard and put on lock on the gate (Tappin) would come and jump the fence and go in the yard and beat by brother.”
She disclosed that her nephew sleeps in the house at nights.
Kowlessar recounted that relatives dealt her brother a sound thrashing at a shop just opposite his home. She said that a relative of Tappin’s had told her, “people does pay $20,000 to kill yuh and that he gon’ pay $20,000 to kill me so that I cannot have this property.”
The woman stated that she has made numerous reports to the police about the death threats.
Kowlessar stated that in an effort to avoid problems with her relatives she avoids going near the disputed land. She added that she provided her brother with food and money and would beg persons in the village to keep an eye on him.
She said that up to last Friday her sister visited the premises with her daughter.
“They break the door and go in the house.”
Kowlessar revealed that her nephew was picked up by police in relation to reports of rape committed on a child. She said that her sister had accused her brother of calling the police.
Meanwhile, another sister of Seenauth is refuting claims that Tappin killed him.
She said that their sister is trying to frame Tappin for the murder.
When questioned as to who chopped off Seenauth’s head, the woman said, “Nobody ain’t know. Anybody see? They got nuff enemies around here. It cannot be him (Tappin).”