(Trinidad Guardian) After nine months on the run, the suspect in the murder of Guyanese national, Khemraj Persaud, is now in police custody.
The Trinidadian national was arrested as he pulled into a service station at Duncan Village, San Fernando, on Monday night. He was held by head of Anti-Crime Operations, Inspector Don Gajadhar, who had him under surveillance as he awaited the arrival of back up from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and Homicide Region Three.
According to reports, around 7 pm on Monday, Gajadhar spotted the suspect who, lived in the area and was believed to have fled to Venezuela after the murder. He was seen exiting a heavily tinted vehicle and entering a supermarket in Duncan Village.
Gajadhar kept him under surveillance as he called for back up. However, before help could arrive, the man exited and drove off. The officer continued to follow the man as he pulled into the service station, a safe distance behind him.
As the suspect waited by the pump to fill his tank, the RRU arrived and together with Gajadhar, apprehended the man.
He was arrested and handed over to Sgt Ramjag of the Homicide Division.
Persaud, 30, was shot to death at Duncan Village, La Romaine, on April 25. His friend, Guyanese Sean Boodhoo, with whom he shared an apartment, was also shot, but survived.
The two men were employed in construction work in T&T. Persaud was also an avid cricketer and represented many local cricket teams in the eight years he spent in Trinidad
According to a police report, the suspect, while visiting a relative in the apartment building where Persaud and Boodhoo lived, reportedly urinated on a washing machine the men used.
An argument ensued when Boodhoo, who witnessed the act, chastised the suspect. Persaud who was inside the apartment came out and tried to quell the disturbance. However, the suspect went to his parked vehicle, took out a gun and opened fire, hitting both men.
Persaud was shot twice in the head and died on the spot. Boodhoo was shot in the chest.
Persaud’s body was flown back to his Berbice home for burial, ten days after he was murdered. Generous Trinidadians responded overwhelmingly to an appeal from his fellow Guyanese national and friend Kumar Shivpersaud, who said Persaud’s family was very poor.
