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Smiles ... the Wests relax together
Wife 'burnt tycoon alive'
THE 26-year-old African wife of a missing British pensioner is to be charged with murdering him after he was found to have been burned alive.
Cops said the charred remains of tycoon William West, 76, were close to the couple?s luxury holiday beach home in Gambia.
He vanished on July 3 while on a vacation with wife Kate. She claimed he disappeared after popping into a cigar store on a day trip to neighbouring Senegal.
But police said yesterday she had confessed to killing him and told them where his body was in the village of Sanyang, 20 miles from Gambia?s capital, Banjul.
Mrs West was originally from Ghana but lived in Gambia with her Nigerian parents. She married Mr W
est six years ago ? when she was 20 ? after they met while he was on holiday in Gambia.
Police are holding her in custody, along with a West African man.
Mrs West had flown back to the couple?s plush, ?750,000 home, in Hastings, East Sussex, the day after her husband went missing.
But she returned to Gambia three days ago to help with the search and to officially register him missing. His body was found on Thursday.
Assistant Police Supt Aziz Bojang said: ?As a result of an interview with the wife, detectives found Mr West?s body at the home they shared.
?She has confessed, and she is the prime suspect.
?She has named a West African man as an accomplice but he is denying any involvement.
?The conditions of Mr West?s remains were so horrible. His body was very badly burned.
?Kate is currently in police custody and will be charged with murder.
?If convicted she could be jailed for life.?
Mr Bojang said officers had gone through pri
vate documents belonging to Mr West and discovered a will in which his wife is the main beneficiary.
He added: ?We are still trying to determine the motive for the killing and there is every reason to believe his wife would clearly benefit through his death.
?This is an unprecedented incident here.
?Because Mr West?s property is situated in a remote area near the beach not many people in the community are aware of what has happened.
?Investigations are continuing into what has happened but we are still at an early stage in our inquiries.?
Mrs West had flown back to Gambia with two British men ? one of them family friend David Jenkins.
Both men were questioned by police but Mr Bojang said they were not arrested or involved with the murder. Irish-born Mr West, who made a fortune from running his own computer business, was a widower when he met his second wife on holiday in Gambia in 2000. His first wife, Doris, died in 1994.
He has a niece living in Hastin
gs and a brother in Ireland.
Neighbours in Hastings said he was ?jovial? before flying out for what turned out to be his final trip to Gambia. But they revealed he was hen-pecked by his young wife. Locals at Churchill?s Hotel and Bar said she was the dominant partner in the marriage.
One regular at the pub ? yards from the couple?s home ? said Mr West treated her ?like a queen?
He added: ?Whenever they came in here he would bring her drink over to the table. You got the impression he was hen-pecked. He always seemed to be following her orders.
?If you saw them shopping he was always carrying the bags.?
The bar boss last saw Mrs West at Hastings station a week ago.
He said he was concerned because she ignored him and rushed past. He added: ?I smiled and said hello but she just blanked me. I thought she was just being rude and obnoxious. But there was clearly something worrying her. I would usually say hello and she would reply. She must have had a lot on her mind
.
?She is not very talkative though anyway.
?I don?t think her English is very good because she never stops to say very much.? He said: ?She was definitely in charge of her marriage. Everyone knew that. Although they didn?t say much, whenever they were out walking their dog Shep she was always a few yards ahead of him.
?When most people walk dogs together they walk side by side.
?But she was always out in front leading the way while he shuffled behind. She is a very dominant lady.?
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