Popular Robb St. businessman found murdered in home

Aug 20, 2011 News

By Latoya Giles

The Robb Street business community was left in shock and disbelief after the owner of Rachpaul’s Drug Store, was found murdered in his home early yesterday morning.

Dead: Harold Rachpaul

The bound and gagged body of 84-year-old Harold Rachpaul, of 75 Robb Street, was discovered next to his bed by his son and grandson, just around 08:00hrs yesterday.
This newspaper was told that Rachpaul lived in the top flat of the three-storey property. A pharmacy was housed in the lower flat and a Chinese restaurant above that.
Sources close to the investigation have stated that the pharmacy which is located at the front of the building was ransacked and a quantity of phone cards, cash and other items were missing.
When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene yesterday morning curious onlookers and family members were at the front of the building. They all expressed shock and mostly questioned why anyone would want to hurt the octogenarian who was well known in the Robb Street area.
Kaieteur News was told that the dead man’s son, Leonard, and his grandson came yesterday to open the premises, as was customary.
This newspaper was told that the two men were talking with a male individual and were heading to the back door, which they surprisingly found open. The two then went inside and made the gruesome discovery. Loud screams were heard from the building and this caught the attention of persons in the area.
Rachpaul, according to relatives, was wrapped in a bed sheet. The cloth was tightly around his head, and his hands and feet were bound with an electrical iron cord. His face had marks of violence.
According to relatives, a vault was open and a quantity phone cards and an undisclosed sum of cash were missing.
Police sources stated that the elderly man might have known his killers since there was no apparent breakage.
Roger Phillips, the dead man’s son in law, told reporters that he was contacted sometime around 09:00hrs and told about the incident. He immediately rushed to the scene. Phillips confirmed that the entire place was ransacked and there were no signs of forced entry.
Meanwhile, a nearby resident, under anonymity, stated that the man would usually be up at 06:00hrs tending to his dogs. The resident did not recall hearing or seeing anything amiss.

The building in which the businessman's body was found.

The body was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home where a post mortem examination will be performed on Monday.
Rachpaul leaves to mourn his wife, who is presently overseas, five sons, a daughter and a number of grand children.