- to appear in court today
THE man who is accused of killing Mahaica cash crop farmer, 52-year-old Balkissoon on Tuesday afternoon in the Mahaica backdam has reportedly confessed to the crime, according to sources close to the investigations.
The Chronicle was informed early Wednesday that the man who goes by the name ‘Tailor Man’ told investigators that he whipped out the deceased’s cutlass from behind his bicycle and dealt him a chop to the neck.
It was also mentioned to this newspaper that the man, during a caution statement, told investigators that persons throughout Mahaica would usually torment and provoke him with their accusations that he steals their belongings, including cattle.
The man has since denied those allegations to investigators but he reportedly cooperated with the police when he was questioned. A statement was also taken from him in which he told the police that on Tuesday he chopped the farmer when the man was harassing him.
However, the dead man’s 15-year-old son told investigators that when his father and the man crossed paths on Tuesday along the dam to the backdam the man began cursing his father and all his father said was that he should move on and leave him alone.
The lad said that it was at that point that the man took the cutlass from behind the man’s bicycle and chopped him to the neck before fleeing the scene. Persons in Mahaica said that the accused is a known drug addict and that he is the one who actually harasses persons in the community.
Meanwhile, a post-mortem performed on the body of the farmer on Wednesday morning by the government pathologist stated that the cause of death was an incised wound to the neck.
Up to late Wednesday police in ‘C’ Division were preparing to have the file sent to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. Speaking with the Chronicle on Tuesday evening, the dead man’s eldest son said he was at home when the incident occurred. The 29-year-old man said that his father had just left home to head back into the backdam at around midday on Tuesday when he reportedly crossed paths with his killer.
The farmer was heading to water his crops and had a water pump and motor blower, according to his son along with his cutlass on the bicycle. The man had seconds before leaving home sharpened his cutlass.
The suspect is slated to appear in an East Coast Magistrate Court today to answer the capital charge of murder.
The late farmer, Balkissoon, will be cremated tomorrow.
(By Leroy Smith)