Body in car trunk…Wife before court for allegedly setting up robbery in home

May 20, 2008 News

– businessman died from asphyxia, fractured larynx

By Michael Jordan

Police are looking for a possible connection between a staged robbery in 2004 at the home of slain businessman Ganga Persaud and his brutal murder last week.

The robbery was allegedly staged by a woman who is now suspected to have conspired with others to kill Persaud on Friday night and stuff his corpse in the trunk of his car.

An autopsy conducted yesterday revealed that the remigrant had died from asphyxia due to suffocation and fracture of the larynx.

Police suspect that the 52-year-old businessman was murdered at or near his home in 19th Street, Diamond Housing Scheme.

It is believed that the killers then stuffed Persaud’s corpse in his car and drove to Eighth Street, Diamond Housing Scheme.

The vehicle was facing west when it was found, suggesting that the killers had driven from the direction of Persaud’s residence.

Persaud’s reputed wife and two of her male relatives were still in custody yesterday. Detectives have scoured the victim’s home for traces of the rubber tubing and duct tape that the killers had wrapped around Persaud’s nostrils.

In October 2004, Persaud, who had recently returned from the US, had told Kaieteur News that gunmen invaded his home in broad daylight.

At the time, a female associate and a toddler were the only persons on the premises.
According to Persaud, the woman had alleged that two men with handguns had tied her to a grill door and threatened to kill the toddler.

She also claimed that she was forced to direct the ‘bandits’ to a wardrobe containing some US$900; $100,000 in local currency, and a quantity of jewellery which belonged to Persaud.

However, at around 2006, Persaud informed Kaieteur News that he subsequently learned that the same woman had deposited about $200,000 in a city bank shortly after the heist.

He said that the female associate was unable to explain how she acquired the money.

Persaud also said that some of the jewellery that the ‘gunmen’ had allegedly stolen eventually turned up in his house.

Kaieteur News understands that the woman was placed on $75,000 bail after being charged with simple larceny.

However, the accused reportedly fled the jurisdiction shortly after.

Kaieteur News was told that Persaud and the woman had a turbulent relationship.

“They would get wrong and lef, and tek back,” a source who knew the victim well said yesterday.

Persaud’s reputed wife has alleged that he left home at around 17:00 hrs on Friday night, after informing her that he was going to a popular liquor restaurant in Kitty.

He allegedly called her at around 22:00 hrs that same night to say that he was in the vicinity of the Agricola Public Road and was on his way home.

That was the last contact she allegedly had with him.

At around 05:00 hrs on Saturday, the businessman’s reputed wife contacted her brother-in-law and his wife by telephone and informed them that Persaud had not returned.

One of the relatives said that, shortly after, Persaud’s spouse informed them that the Police had located Persaud’s car but had not found him.

At around 06:30 hrs on Saturday, ranks from the Golden Grove Police Station opened Persaud’s car truck and discovered his body.

Lengths of bicycle tubing and duct tape were wrapped around his nostrils and mouth.
His shoes were missing.

Residents of Eighth Street, Diamond Housing Scheme said that they observed Persaud’s blue car, PEE 587, parked in the street near his home at around 01:00 hrs on Saturday.

Some residents recalled hearing dogs barking at around that time but none of them saw anyone exiting the vehicle.