Bloody Essequibo attack
Teens on joint charge of murder


Stabroek News
September 14, 2000


The two teenagers accused of Monday's slaughter of a nine-year-old and the attempted murder of his six-year-old brother at New Road, Essequibo Coast, yesterday appeared at the Anna Regina Magistrates' Court, jointly charged with murder.

According to the Police Public Relations Department, the 14- and 15-year-old lads of Somerset and Berks, two villages bordering New Road, were not required to plead to the indictable charge that was read to them by Magistrate Cecil Sullivan. They were released into the custody of the police and the matter transferred to the Charity Magistrate's Court for October 16.

The two had reportedly confessed to the police that they beat and stabbed nine-year-old Tiab Gafoor, and his 6-year-old brother, Fawaaz. Tiab reportedly died immediately, while his younger brother was air-dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where doctors performed an emergency operation. He had suffered a stab wound to the chest that went "through and through." There was also a deep gash on his head thought to have been caused when he was struck with a door bar.

The Police Public Relations Department stated yesterday that the police were monitoring the progress of Fawaaz before laying any charges in relation to him. When Stabroek News visited the child at the hospital yesterday, he was conscious and alert, though still confined to his bed in the Intensive Care Unit.

It is believed that the teenagers broke into the Gafoors' home with intent to steal and came face to face with the two boys. Probably scared that they would have been identified, they attacked them. A bloody door bar and a kitchen knife, later taken away by investigators, were believed to have been used to inflict the wounds. Some bloody clothes and $500 were also recovered.

Tiab who suffered several blows to his head had also received about five stab wounds.

Reports stated that, on Monday morning, the two boys were at the home watching television, while their mother, Nafeeza Gafoor, 33, went to the Charity Primary School to seek transfers for them to the Anna Regina Primary School. She returned home at around 1130 hrs and made the gruesome discovery.

The boys' father, 38-year-old Imran Gafoor, a vendor, had been selling at the Charity Market when he received the shocking news.

Residents of New Road and the surrounding area had formed themselves into a search party and combed the area. They found some bloody clothes and suspecting a teenager went in search of him. He was found hiding under a bridge and reportedly confessed to the crime, following which the police arrested another teenager.

The first teen was said to have broken into the Gafoor's home last year and stolen a quantity of cash. He was placed before the court and sentenced to probation for a year.

Residents of Essequibo who attended the funeral of Tiab on Tuesday had expressed outrage and anger at the crime, especially over reports that teenagers had committed the brutal act.

As the law deals differently with juveniles than adults, when the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the charge begins it will be held in camera and unless granted permission by the court, the public will not be allowed to hear the proceedings. The Juvenile Offenders Act forbids the publication of anything that is "likely to lead to the identification" of the person(s) before the court, "save with the permission of the court or in so far as required by this Act."

With regard to sentencing the act states: "..where a child or young person is found guilty, or enters a plea of guilty to a charge of an attempt to murder, or of manslaughter, or of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, the court may sentence the offender to be detained for such period as may be specified in the sentence..."

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Laurie Lewis, in an invited comment yesterday, described the incident as "dastardly. To think that two children could have allegedly committed the act... it is dastardly."


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