Missing taxi driver’s burnt body found at Mocha

Jan 28, 2010 News

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…prime suspect in custody, says victim was shot in the head

The charred remains of a male of East Indian ancestry, identified as that of the missing taxi driver Bomeshwar Sukhdeo, called Anil, was discovered on the Mocha Arcadia access road, yesterday.
And by last night the police had arrested a prime suspect.
The suspect, Balram Singh, of Agricola, Greater Georgetown, has reportedly admitted to killing the taxi driver, Sukhdeo, and selling his car to a taxi service in Grove, East Bank Demerara.
Information supplied to the police led them to Balram Singh who, during interrogation, said that the idea was hatched when the owner of the Grove taxi service indicated that he would be happy if he could get a wagon similar to the one he owned.
The taxi service owner had crashed his wagon but he had the documents. He indicated that if he could get an identical wagon then he would simply transfer his documents to that vehicle after it would have been modified.
Singh, who owns a route 42 minibus, and another man, went in search of a wagon. Singh then returned t the owner of the taxi service and informed that he had secured a wagon and that it was in Berbice.
Last night, he told the police that this other man hired Sukhdeo from Robb Street then picked him up outside Silvie’s Variety Store near the Linden Bus Park, opposite Public Buildings.
He said that they drove to Agricola where the other man shot Sukhdeo in his head, wrapped the body in a sheet and deposited it on a dam in the village.
However, the other man denied that he was with Singh. The owner of the taxi service also told the police that when the wagon was brought to his premises, Singh was alone. They are however in custody.
The police are working on the theory that Singh shot Sukhdeo in his head. They have heard that Singh rested the body on the dam in Agricola until nightfall, then removed it to Mocha where it was discovered yesterday. He also hid the vehicle for a while before selling it to the taxi service owner.
Initial assessment by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, suggested that the remains were that of Sukhdeo. Investigators and relatives of the missing driver also indicated that they were prepared to await the results of DNA before they could be absolutely certain.
The body was discovered around midday, by a search party which was organized by Sukhdeo’s family.
Kaieteur News understands that the search team was in the Mocha area when they came upon a strong stench.
Upon checking they found the remains and subsequently contacted the police.
The upper portion of the body was found braced to a tree while the two lower limbs were several feet away.
Investigators believe that the body parts were separated by animals.
Sukhdeo disappeared last week Tuesday and since then several searches had turned up blank.
On Monday anxious moments turned into despair when a search party comprising ranks from the Wales Police Station and a West Bank Demerara Community Policing Group accompanied by a relative scoured the lands aback of the Bel Vue Estate, but came up empty-handed.
Other searches were conducted and these included areas along the East Bank Demerara, including Timehri; the Soesdyke/Linden Highway; South Ruimveldt; Meadowbrook and Sophia.
Sukhdeo, who is also called ‘Desperado’ or ‘Rush’, 39, of 162 Sixth Street, Industry, East Coast Demerara was last seen at the car park outside Guyana Stores Limited.
He was wearing a cream T-shirt, blue denim pants and brown shoes. At the time he was driving a white Toyota EL Touring wagon HB 7419.
A relative, who was at the scene yesterday, is almost convinced that the remains are that of Sukhdeo despite no proper identification.
Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, who did a preliminary examination of the remains at the scene yesterday, told the media that initially there is nothing much he could ascertain in terms of the identity of the person.
He however disclosed that the remains were that of a male East Indian, about five feet ten inches in height and above the age of 25-years old.
He could not say if the victim bore any wounds to his head at this time.
“I was trying but I can’t in this condition. We gotta go and wash it. But as from there I cannot see anything, I can’t see it now,” Dr Singh said.
He estimated that the remains were at the location between 14 hours and one day because of the presence of maggots.
“There were no flies, just maggots. Which means that eggs were deposited about 14 hours ago before you start seeing the maggots coming out,” the Pathologist explained.
The missing taxi driver’s father-in-law confirmed that Sukhdeo was about five feet nine inches.
“I want to think that it might be him. I am hoping that they will take samples for DNA. I will ask the parlour to freeze it until the police say yes, I can have it.
Then I will like to get rid of the remains,” the missing driver’s father-in-law told this newspaper.
“Even if the DNA comes back and it’s not the right person, then so be it. But that is how it is with me right now,” the father-in-law added.
He said that if he has to assist in any way to get the DNA done, he will.
He said that he plans to break the news gently to his daughter and granddaughter as well as his wife.
“I will tell them somehow. I will have to tell them that we found a body, that it’s burnt beyond recognition, that I cannot say if it’s him,” Sukhdeo’s father-in-law stated.
Meanwhile, the taxi driver’s car was reportedly recovered at a spray painting establishment on the East Bank of Demerara.
According to a source, the chasis number was filed off and the vehicle appeared to be in the process of being sprayed over.
However, a positive identification of the vehicle was made from a special mark at the rear of the car.
The owner of the spray painting establishment is assisting police with their investigations.
The man who took the car to the spray painter is also assisting the police.

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