Police are still searching for clues in the Saturday morning murder of Diamond businessman Ganga Persaud and have since detained his reputed wife.
The woman, who has been cooperating with police following the discovery of Persaud’s body in the trunk of his car some distance away from his home, was arrested on Saturday night as preparations were being made for a wake.
Persaud was found bound with rubber, and scotch tape was wrapped around his face. He appeared to have been strangled.
Persaud’s relatives said yesterday that they have no idea whether she is being treated as a suspect, adding that the police are not saying much to them.
Since the discovery was made on Saturday the family said they have been in the dark as it relates to the investigation and were only informed of the woman’s arrest when Persaud’s older son who arrived in the country on Saturday made some enquiries.
Emotions were still running high at the family’s home at Goed Fortuin, West Coast Demerara yesterday when Stabroek News visited. Friends had gathered at the home to give support, some reminiscing on his life.
Yesterday residents at Eighth Street, Diamond where the man’s car was found abandoned said the car had to have been parked there sometime after midnight since no one recalled seeing it earlier.
They said persons in the area usually park cars at the spot where Persaud’s car was found so initially no one thought anything was strange about the car.
“You get up and you pass the car without even thinking that someone could have been in there dead. This hit me this morning when I woke up and look outside and see another car park there”, a resident related.
It was sometime after people started asking about the car that someone alerted the police and one rank arrived on the scene. Shortly after, several more ranks turned up and it was only then that many residents recalled noting that something was wrong.
A relative, Normilla, recounted that she received a call from Persaud’s wife around 4:55 am on Saturday after he did not go home. She said there was need for concern because Persaud always made it home, even on days when he had a lot to drink. According to her, it was strange for him not to be home by a certain hour and after they received the call the family started worrying.
But while she was speaking with Persaud’s wife, she informed her that a police van had just pulled up at her home. Normilla later found out that the police had gone to alert the woman that Persaud’s car had been found but he was still missing. It was while they were searching the car that Persaud was discovered in the trunk.
