Two days after he was reported missing, Scot Rambaran was found dead inside the vehicle in Centeno yesterday.
Rambaran, 33, a Stores Manager at Harry Persad & Sons Limited, was last seen by his wife around 4.30 pm on Tuesday (July 8).
At the time, he was rushing out of their Piarco Gardens, Oropune home, clutching an envelope containing $25,000 in cash—proceeds of a loan they had only secured the day before which he planned to use to purchase a car in Arima.
The father of an eight-year-old girl never returned home and calls to his cellphone went unanswered.
It was only around 9 am yesterday that a driver employed alongside Rambaran—who also happens to be a member of the Hunters’ Search and Rescue Team led by Shamsudeen Ayube—was alerted that a white Toyota NZE matching the description of the victim’s car, had been spotted in the bushes along Mausica Road South, Centeno, near Kallco Limited.
Upon investigating, members of the search team found Rambaran’s body lying face down in the passenger seat.
Foul play is suspected.
Allan Maharaj yesterday recalled the dread he felt when he found Rambaran dead.
“Since he went missing on Tuesday, we been out here searching. We are glad we got the closure today, for the family’s sake,” Maharaj said.
Among the areas searched were Carapo, Guanapo, Arima Old Road, Piarco, Caroni, Macoya, and St Augustine, and areas used as dumping grounds for murder and kidnapped victims.
He said Rambaran’s car had been driven off the main road into the bushes to camouflage it, but he knew it belonged to him.
He said Rambaran was “a very nice guy, very family-oriented guy... hard-working guy, honest guy.”
Rambaran’s parents, along with his brothers and wife, were present at the scene, but were emotionally distraught.
His mother, Bhedia Rambaran, climbed atop a truck parked nearby as tears welled up in her eyes.
With her husband standing at her back and her sons surrounding her, the family comforted one another.
One of Rambaran’s brothers, who asked that his name not be published, said they were confused as to why anyone would want to hurt him.
“He was a very, very humble person who never interfere with anybody. He was a family man,” he said.
The victim’s brother said he spent most of his free time with his family.
“That was what he lived for.”
He said relatives had no idea Rambaran was intending to purchase a car. The family only discovered the alleged sale when news of his disappearance was reported on Tuesday. However, they had been holding out hope he would have been found alive.
“We had been hoping to recover the vehicle cause we know whoever had him, would have had the car too and if we found the car, we would have found him...hopefully alive,” the brother said.
A young man who works at a garage in the Oropune area and who allegedly brokered the “sale” for Rambaran, has since spoken to officers at the Piarco Police Station in the presence of his lawyer.
One of Rambaran’s co-workers said he was, “a real nice, cool going fella.”
He called on the police to go after those responsible.
“We need to get this thing (crime) under control fast. And the thing is, the authorities know who the people are and I think they need to act on that.”
