Muslimeen survivor: I want no revenge for my wife’s death

MUSLIMEEN survivor Adil Ghani is very angry at the brutal slaying of his wife Jillia Bowen, 31, outside Movie Towne Cineplex, last Wednesday night. But the now widower insisted yesterday that he wants no revenge for the killing. All he wants is peace.

“To the people involved in killing innocent persons, take the death of Jillia as a cure, and stop the senseless murders,” pleaded Ghani. Speaking for the first time from his hospital bed yesterday, Ghani said that the death of his wife has had a devastating effect on him. He described Bowen, his common law wife of five years as his best friend, best mother and companion. The couple has an eight month old daughter Jadelle. Ghani insisted yesterday that he has had an excellent relationship with Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr. He called on members of the public to desist from blaming members of the Jamaat for the shootings. “It is Fitna, (Islamic word for mischief) and I want people to stop saying that it is a Muslim war which caused the shootings. He said he was praying for the recovery of his friend Rasheed and added that his main interest right now is getting better and taking care of his children, including his seven year old stepson. Ghani said he was not interested in seeking revenge for the murder of his wife and he is only interest in resuming a normal life and being around to take care of his family. He is not interested in any bloodshed. He said he was thankful for the police presence outside his ward but pointed out that he was not fearful for his life.

Recalling the incident last Wednesday which claimed the life of Jillia and left his friend Salim “Small Salim” Rasheed in critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, Ghani said that it was customary that whenever Jillia had a day off from work they would go to the cinema. He added that last Wednesday night, Jillia who was a supervisor at Island Club Casino, decided to see a movie at Movie Towne. Ghani, who was one of the 114 Jamaat members involved in the July 27, 1990 attempted coup, added that he went to the cinema in his car and following the movie, he saw Rasheed, his childhood friend, and they moved across to a bench where they started having a friendly conversation. The time was 11.30 pm, and in the still of the night, laughter among the three ended within minutes when gunmen in a car sprayed bullets in the direction where the three were seated. Ghani said that the incident happened within seconds and he admitted to running away after being struck by the bullets. All he remembers is being struck by bullets, running away from the scene and then being told the dreaded news minutes later that Jillia was dead. He said he knew Jillia was also shot, but could not believe that she was dead.

Ghani, who is employed as a security officer at Island Club Casino was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital and detained at Ward 54. His friend, Rasheed underwent emergency surgery at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, and up until late yesterday was hooked up to a life support machine at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. An eyewitness to the shootings told police that a heavily tinted white Sentra with four male occupants off-loaded several shots from an UZI sub-machine gun and a 9 mm pistol. Ghani, who discharged himself from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, and moved to another institution is being guarded by police officers outside his ward. Ghani, one of two Jamaat Al Muslimeen men shot during the bloody attack described the shootings as unjust. The 36-year-old father of three who was shot in the buttocks, knee, lower left thigh and suffered  a graze on the left hip, said he is unable to describe his feelings over the death of his wife. He called on the perpetrators of the brutal murder to use her death to stop the senseless killings. Ghani attended the funeral service on Monday in a wheelchair, secured by a large police party. On Monday at the funeral, he placed a bottle of her favourite perfume Chloe inside the coffin bearing her body.