Penal man survives cutlass attack… but c

Senior Multimedia Reporter

radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt

With his head heavily bandaged, Ravi Samlal returned to the spot where he and his common-law wife, Reshma Peters, were attacked hours before she was found dead on Sunday.

Peters, 45, of Wilson Road, was found under an oil line at Mohess Road Extension, 15 hours after the violent attack with injuries to her head, hip and right leg.

Samlal, 36, a scrap iron labourer, suffered a chop wound to the head and was discharged from the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday.

He said he remembered walking with Peters along Mohess Road Extension, Barrackpore, near the Heritage Production GN4 Tank Farm No. 4 around 7 pm on Saturday when a car suddenly pulled up.

“We were walking, coming up the street, when as soon as we reached the tank, the man jumped out and started to chop me,” Samlal recalled.

He said braced to avoid the blows, but the man continued chopping him across the back of his head.

“That chop caused me to freak out. When I fell down, I got up 10 minutes later and started looking for my girl, but the place was dark. I thought maybe they took her away,” he said.

Covered in blood and fearing for his life, Samlal stumbled down the street to a poultry shop where he raised an alarm. His sister, Esther Samlal, took him to the San Fernando General Hospital, where he received treatment.

Around 10:15 am on Sunday, neighbours found Peters’ body

Esther said she was terrified for her family.

“We are scared, and we hope the government can listen to us and put in streetlights now that this has happened,” she said.

She added that Peters never interfered with anyone.

“She would go everywhere with my brother. They would take a little drink, come over here, and cook, but they never had enemies. People around know them, and they never had any problems with anyone,” she said.

Peters’ mother, Kelowtie Ramnarine, said the death was a double blow as her other daughter, Anissa Ramnarine, died in January from a stomach infection. She said when she last saw Peters on Wednesday, her daughter confessed that things were difficult for her financially.

“She needed a food card, and I told her she has to reapply for it,” Kelowtie said.

The distraught mother said she told Peters to move back home to Suchit Trace, but Peters did not want to do that as she loved Samlal and enjoyed their life together in Barrackpore.

Kelowtie said Peters was a slow learner who had spent her whole life in poverty. The family is asked for assistance to handle Peters’ funeral. Anyone willing to help can contact Ramnarine at 363-8491.

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