(Trinidad Guardian) Hesston Khelawan had been working hard to put things in place so he could migrate along with his wife, to escape the worsening crime situation in T&T.
However, this dream was cut short on Saturday night, when his bloody body was found along Warren Road, Cunupia.
The 34-year-old, of Factory Road, Piarco, was still in his uniform. Only one of his shoes was on his foot, while the other was found strewn in the middle of the roadway, leading investigators to initially conclude he had been the victim of a hit-and-run accident.
An autopsy at the Forensic Science Centre (FSC), St James, yesterday, revealed he was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head.
Khelawan worked as a driver with the Piarco Airport Taxi Cooperative Society Limited or the past two years.
His last job around 9 pm on Saturday had been to take a visitor from the Piarco International Airport to the Brix Hotel, St Ann’s.
Piarco Airport Taxi Cooperative Society Limited president Lutchman Julien said this was safely done.
“Whatever happened, happened after he completed the job and left the location.”
Khelawan reportedly spoke to his wife after dropping off the customer at the hotel at 10 pm. His new-model seven-seater Sirena taxi is still missing.
Speaking with reporters at the FSC, relatives described Khelawan as a, “very nice and joyful person.”
A close female relative said he was, “the best kind of person you could find. One of the best who always had a smile on his face.”
Married for the past nine years, Khelawan and his wife were putting things in place to migrate, which included building apartments to boost their income.
A relative said they endured a sleepless Saturday night searching for Khelawan.
She said his family visited all the police stations between Arima and St Joseph, and all the hospitals and health centres along the East-West Corridor but turned up no information.
Their fears were realised after they arrived at the Cunupia Police Station on Sunday and were informed a body fitting his description had been discovered in Cunupia.
Relatives are upset by the country’s crime situation.
“The most sickening thing I have ever seen in my life. It is the worst. What is it is really going on in this place?
“Young people trying to catch themselves..is work the man went to work, not to say he was drinking and liming and looking for problems.”
Piarco Airport Taxi Cooperative Society Limited president Julien said Khelawan was a very disciplined driver who could be counted on for his punctuality and reliability.
“There is nothing negative I can say about him. We never had any problems with him at all.”
Asked if he was concerned taxi drivers were under attack by criminal elements and if his members had expressed any fears since the incident, Julien said, “Criminals were looking for anybody they could rob once the opportunity is there and money can be made.”