Fearing for her safety, businesswoman Patricia Sanasie, who was gunned down in an apparent hit on Monday evening, had planned to migrate to the United States.
According to a source who knew the woman well, Sanasie, 45, of Lot 129 Atlantic Gardens, had been living in fear up to the time she was fatally shot outside her home by a masked gunman.
‘C’ Division Commander Assistant Commissioner Christopher Griffith told this newspaper yesterday that as far as the police know, it was a lone gunman who carried out the attack.
The shooter was still at-large up to yesterday.
The shooting occurred just a month shy of the one year anniversary of an attempt on the life of her husband, auto dealer Deokarran ‘Ram’ Sanasie, who would later accuse her of being behind a plot to kill him. He is said to have been in the United States since late last year after initially moving from their home.
At approximately 7:30pm on Monday, Patricia Sanasie was attempting to unlock her gate after exiting her vehicle, when a “bulky” masked gunman emerged out of a silver-grey Toyota Raum, held on to her and shot her four times.
When Stabroek News revisited the area yesterday, a resident, who had been in his yard when the attack occurred, said he heard a sound which he initially believed to be squibs. However, that assumption changed when he heard Sanasie’s daughter screaming, “Oh lord meh mother get shoot!”
The man said he along with others found the daughter bending over Sanasie, who appeared to be lifeless.
Another resident said the community converged at the crime scene and rendered assistance. Unfortunately, the resident said, “She was dead on the spot.” The resident added that Sanasie was shot in her pubic area, neck, head and right arm.
Tumultuous
A source close to the family said that money was the root of the tumultuous relationship between the Sanasies. “She used to complain that he trying to cheat she of money,” the source said, adding that the woman claimed she found out that her husband had sold properties behind her back and kept the proceeds to himself.
A house that had been gifted to her for her birthday, the source noted, was among the properties that Patricia Sanasie claimed was sold without her knowledge. “That cause more problems,” the source added.
It was also claimed that she was stripped of all her businesses, save for two “Churches” which had been built for her to run. “That is how she used to get money to take care of herself,” the source explained, while noting that a private school run by the woman was also closed down. “It was vindictiveness,” the source opined.
Patricia Sanasie was described as a friendly person, who “lived through” a difficult relationship with her husband. “She [Sanasie] made reports to the police over security concerns, but got no justice,” the source explained, adding, “It was a woman that was crying for help but now she is dead.”
As a result of her concerns, Sanasie made plans about a year ago to relocate to the United States. Up to last week, the source added, she was in the process of renovating a building the couple owned to be leased.
The source also pointed out that around the same time that her husband started claiming that he was fearing for his life, Patricia also said she was fearing for her own life.
On February 12, 2014, Deokarran Sanasie was shot several times about his body while drinking in the vicinity of his auto sales business at Fourth and Light streets, Alberttown. He was rushed to a private city hospital, where he was treated for gunshot wounds to his left thigh and abdomen. He later expressed concerns for his safety and went into hiding.
During that time, his wife and her brother were held in connection with the shooting. However, Patricia Sanasie had denied having any involvement in the attempted hit on her husband. It was that incident which caused the couple to separate, the source noted.
In 2012, the couple had been sprayed with mace and robbed of jewellery and money outside the Edge nightclub. They were later attacked and robbed again by the same perpetrators at their home.
