Bob Persaud, the widower of Phulmattie Persaud who was shot dead earlier this year when gunmen also killed two of her brothers and a security guard, is to file a lawsuit here seeking answers on the murders.

A still angry and grieving Persaud yesterday told Stabroek News from his Canada home that he is awaiting some legal documentation before the lawsuit can be filed and that he is in discussion with two local attorneys. The suit would name attorney-general, Doodnauth Singh, and the Commissioner of Police as defendants.

Minister Satyadeow Sawh

On April 22 of this year Minister Satyadeow Sawh and his siblings, Phulmattie Persaud and Rajpat Sawh, as well as Sawh's security guard, Curtis Robertson, were gunned down at the minister's Earl's Court, La Bonne Intention home. A gang of seven men dressed in military fatigues carried out the attack using AK-47 rifles. Police have since linked the killings to the Buxton criminal gang and had issued bulletins for several persons connected to the village including the now dead prison escapee Troy Dick and wanted man Rondell Rawlins called 'Fineman'. Another man, Anthony Heywood called 'John Kirby' was also said to be wanted in connection with the deaths after he was shot at and killed by police recently in Agricola. No one has been charged as yet for the murders.

A gang of seven men dressed in military fatigues carried out the attack using AK-47 rifles

During the rampage, the minister's wife, Sattie was saved when she hid in a bathroom. One of Sattie's sons, Dave was out at the time along with his cousins, children of Phulmattie and Rajpat.

Persaud yesterday said that the lawsuit would be filled on behalf of his family and the son of Rajpat. He said he has informed the minister's wife, who is his first cousin, about his intentions and she told him, "we have to do what we have to do," but that she would not be involved.

Sattie and her two children, Dave and Roger have since returned to Canada.

Persaud said since the death of his wife the Guyana Government has never contacted him with any information and from what he has been reading in the newspapers the crime situation continues abated with the Government seemingly unable to do anything.

He said the lawsuit will also be an attempt to have the Government take responsibility for the deaths of the three siblings and the security guard as they were unable to protect the minister and his family. He posited that the Government needs to understand that it cannot want to be voted into power and not take responsibility for the security of its citizens.

The man said that April's visit was the first for his two children, who were born in Canada, and although they are adults he has to deal with their recurring nightmare of visualising their mother in a kneeling position with her head almost blown off. Phulmattie was hiding under a bed when she was dragged out and shot and killed.

"This lawsuit is not for money it is really for the Government to accept responsibility," the man contended.

He said even though Guyana was experiencing serious criminal acts at the time when his wife and children planned their trip to Guyana, Phulmattie was not afraid as she felt safe with her brother whom she loved dearly.

The businessman also had some harsh words for the Guyana Police Force which he said has been abysmal in its investigation. He feels that there are lawless elements in the police force and the Guyana Defence Force who are sheltering the criminals.

"I feel that the President [Bharrat Jagdeo] does not have total control over the country's security forces but he and the Government have to take responsibility for the crime situation," he said.

He added that after some prodding from the Member of Parliament in his area, Canada's Foreign Minister wrote him a letter in June of this year informing him that he was told that on completion of the investigation Guyana's Commissioner of Police would forward a report to him. Persaud said the minister has not written him since and he suspects that he has received no such report from the Guyana police.

"I hope the police is not just abandoning and forgetting about the investigation like they do in so many other investigations and hope that no one would say anything. That is why I am filing the lawsuit so that we can all get answers." Following the murder of the minister there was talk by both the Government and the police about inviting police officers from the US, UK or Canada to assist them in their investigations. However, to date no such help has been given and it is not clear if any was formally sought. Persaud said he is not sure what assistance the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) can offer in this case as months have elapsed and the area where it happened is no longer a crime scene. He said the only thing they can do is hunt for the criminals and they do not have the authority to do so.

She was a rock

Persaud described his wife as the rock of the family one who was always there to assist him and their two sons. He said although his children are adults he now has to take on the role of both mother and father since they need help to heal because of the brutal fashion in which Phulmattie was killed.

"The impact on the two boys was just too much. That was their first visit to Guyana and that is what happened."

He said he does not mind taking on the role of both parents, however, it is his inability to provide answers to his children that is really affecting him.

The two were married for some 32 years, two years after Persaud moved to Canada from Berbice. He said in the 34 years he has been away he has only been back to Guyana four times and all the visits were for funerals, the last being the funeral of his wife and her siblings.

He said while he is aware that the men who carried out the murderous rampage are gangsters and criminals he wants to know who was behind the killings. He said there are three scenarios that have been peddled and he is not sure which or if any is true. Two have to do with the minister being killed for political reasons and the other by someone in the drug underworld.

"I want to know who paid the criminals to kill them and why. Somebody has to answer these questions", Persaud declared. (Oluatoyin Alleyne)