Relatives of missing businessman Mohamed F Khan say that they are disappointed that samples taken from them and a decapitated body suspected to be his are yet to leave Guyana.
Further they said that this delay could have been avoided had their request to bear the cost for the testing to be done Trinidad, been accepted.
Khan’s sister Bibi Fareema Khan told Stabroek News yesterday that she is becoming worried as two weeks have already gone since samples were taken and the family has received no positive word. She said that in the initial stages they were assured that the samples would be dispatched to Trinidad with some degree of urgency.
She said that she was shocked when they learnt on Wednesday that the samples are still here.
Based on what this newspaper was told the delay is largely due to the Force’s financial inability to have the samples sent overseas. Previously this newspaper had been told that such exercises are costly as airfare and other transportation costs, hotel accommodation and meals for the rank who has to accompany the sample has to be paid for. There is also a cost attached to having the samples tested. In most instances, the rank would return to Guyana and then travel back to whichever country to uplift the results whenever they are ready. Here again airfare, accommodation and meals have to be paid for.
A frustrated Fareema who has been back and forth trying to get answers told this newspaper that the family expressed the willingness to cover the cost for getting the testing done. She said that they were assured that they need not bother as the police could bear that responsibility. She said that had they done it themselves, they were advised that they could have gotten the results back in about two weeks. The police had told them that when they take the samples to Trinidad, they would get the results back in four weeks’ time.
“I am so disappointed that it hasn’t left yet”, she said before expressing hope that the samples will be leaving Guyana before the end of this week.
Samples have been taken from the decapitated corpse, the head which was found in a plastic bag and relatives of Khan including his mother. Some of the samples were taken at CID Headquarters and the others were taken at a lab located in the city.
Though police have repeatedly said that DNA testing is needed to confirm that the decomposing remains are indeed those of the former MFK Trading owner, relatives are convinced that the remains which were found on September 22 at Cummings Lodge are his. The corpse was missing a leg from the knee down and on the other side the foot was apparently severed at the ankle.
It was Khan’s wife, who lives in Venezuela, who positively identified a belt and pants found on the corpse as being those of her husband.
Pictures had been sent to her by relatives who had viewed the remains at the Lyken’s Funeral Home.
A mark was found in the stomach area of the corpse, in the same area where Khan had sustained a gunshot wound during a failed execution attempt. The doctor, based on what Fareema had said could not confirm if it was a gunshot wound given the decomposition of the body.
She however, is convinced that the remains are those of her brother. In addition to the pants and belt, she said the hair on the recovered head as well as missing teeth in areas where Khan wore dental plates, have led to her to conclude that it was him.
Khan was last heard from on August 21.
He had travelled from his home in Venezuela to meet with his attorney and to look after some business in the interior.
Relatives said his disappearance and the attempt on his life back in July were linked to a soured business deal.
They say that as a result of that deal threats had been made to his life.
According to relatives all they need is confirmation that the body is indeed his so that they can put the remains to rest.
