Relatives of murdered businessman Imraz “Clubs” Ali are due to return to the Forensic Science Centre in St James today, to assist investigators in their efforts to further identify the decomposing body found over the weekend.
Police said that while Ali’s relatives accompanied lawmen to identify the body that had been found on Saturday, they were unable to complete the identification process, utilising only a visual exam today.
The body of a man believed to be that of 60-year-old Ali was recovered from a precipice along the North Coast Road in Maracas on October 11.
Ali, of Ajodha Road, Charlieville, was last seen on September 4 and was last heard from on September 5, when his son received a call from Ali’s cellphone and heard him screaming.
Despite extensive searches by family, friends, law enforcement, and the Hunters Search and Rescue Team across various parts of Trinidad in the days leading up to Saturday’s discovery, the clues as to Ali’s whereabouts ran cold.
It was only after a $100,000 reward was offered by Crime Stoppers on October 9 that an anonymous caller reportedly directed the police to where to look for Ali’s body.
The reward came more than one month after Ali disappeared, having last been seen leaving a mechanic shop in Freeport, driving a black Nissan X-Trail.
It is believed he was carrying a large sum of money at the time to conduct a business deal.
Guardian Media learned that Ali’s relatives were expected to return to his surgeon today to get the serial numbers of the metal pins that had been implanted during a recent hip surgery, which is expected would aid in the identification process.
People close to Ali’s relatives said the family had been trying to cope since his disappearance.
Three suspects, including a Trinidadian man, a Venezuelan man, and a Guyanese woman, have since been held in connection with Ali’s kidnapping and subsequent murder.
