An ongoing court matter for drug trafficking may be responsible for the murder of Chatham labourer Sham Maharaj, who was gunned down at Chatham Beach yesterday.
Maharaj was accused of transporting drugs five years ago and it is believed he was targeted because he could identify others involved in the drug ring. However, his family believe this has nothing to do with his death as this incident happened long ago and he had no threats on his life.
His murder was the sixth in the community since last July and follows the massacre of Grace Toussaint, 55, her husband Peter Baptiste, 59, son Jeremy Toussaint, 24, and mother Leena Peters, 75.
Investigators believe the family was wiped out because Jeremy witnessed the murder of their neighbour Stephon Sinnette earlier that month.
According to reports, Maharaj, 45, of Iros Forest, Chatham, was discovered dead at the roadside by his 21-year-old son Vesham around 9.30 am along South Trace.
The father of three boys had three gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest and lay mere metres from his white pick-up.
It is believed he was ambushed by someone hiding in the bush who ordered him out the pick-up and shot him. He died with his hands up in the air, as if he was surrendering to his killer.
At the beach yesterday, Vesham said his father was employed at the Siparia Regional Corporation and sold dry coconut at the Point Fortin Market.
He said his father left for work at Cedros around 6 am and returned home at 9 am. At the time, Vesham was already on the beach collecting coconuts and while driving back to the road he saw his father lying on the roadside.
Afraid that the killer was still hiding in the bush, he said he stayed from a distance and called his mother Asha.
"I stopped to see if he was still alive, but I stayed at a distance because I did not know if anyone was hiding in the bush. I called my mom and told her that I saw my father shot on the beach. I told her to call the police and she started to bawl on the phone," Vesham said.
Asha said when she got the news she thought he was still alive and needed treatment. It was only when she and other relatives arrived at the beach they realised he was dead.
She recalled: "He went to work and he came back already. He came home, ate his breakfast and came down here to collect coconuts because he is a vendor at the Point Fortin Market...I thought he got a little shot and we could just come and take him to the hospital, but when we came here it was not like that. When I came here I just saw him lying down, no movement. We couldn't do anything again."
Maharaj was arrested and charged five years ago for transporting marijuana for a drug dealer.
His brother Proprodeo Maharaj said someone gave him the drugs and told him he had to transport it. He said his brother was not involved into anything else since then.
Proprodeo, who is also employed at the regional corporation, said he and his brother were very close and attended the funeral of a friend this week. He said if his brother was threatened or worried about anything he would have known.
Man slain in Sea Lots
Another brazen murder also occurred in broad daylight in Sea Lots, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.
According to a police report, at about 11.45 am Kwesi Solomon was seated in the driver's seat of a black car when he was approached by a gunman who opened fire on him. Solomon was shot in the head and body. The gunman then escaped.
The shooting took place near Bhagwansingh's Hardware.
On Thursday at about 11 am, two men identified as Matthew "Smeagol" Simmons and Oswald Bailey were killed in Belmont.
Police are continuing their investigations.
The murder toll stood at 12 for the year up to last evening.
