Friendship businessman found dead in Le Repentir Cemetery

By Bhisham Mohamed

 

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 31-year-old businessman Carlos Persaud, called “Jason”, of Lot Six, Rams Field, Friendship, EBD, whose body was found in the Le Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown last Saturday.

The body was found by passersby with gunshot wounds to the chest. His car, PMM 2625, was found abandoned in ‘C’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown prior to discovery of his body.

At time of this report, Persaud’s body was at the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination, which was expected to be performed on Monday.

When Guyana Times International visited the dead man’s former residence, relatives had converged to offer their sympathy and support to his survivors.

Anita Persaud, the widow, was not at home; but Balram Balraj, Permanent Secretary of the Works Ministry and a relative of the deceased, spoke with this publication. He related a hearsay account as follows: Persaud left his home last Friday at 17:30h, but failed to return after two hours — a behaviour that was unlike him.

His wife attempted to make contact with him, but his mobile phone either rang out or was turned off. However, he later telephoned his wife informing her that he was on his way home.

Balraj, the narrator, received a telephone call at about 06:30h last Saturday, informing him that “Jason” did not return home. This raised some suspicions, and Balraj immediately alerted other family members. A search party was subsequently created with the intention of finding the missing man. That search began at approximately 7:00h.

“I was (at) home, and (it was at) around 09: 00h when I received a call notifying me that Jason’s car was discovered in Sophia with all its parts intact; the key was found in the ignition (and) all the mirrors and lights were in place”, Balraj noted.

Balraj then relayed that information to the search party. At about 11:00h, he received another call, this time informing him that the body of a male was found in the Le Repentir Cemetery, and he frantically called the dead man’s brother, who was already in Georgetown. “I advised him to visit the scene and view the body to ascertain whether it was Jason’s,” Balraj related.

The body was identified as that of the missing man, but the incredulous widow went to the Lyken Funeral Home to confirm the report, and was confronted with her worst fear.

After confirming that the body was that of her husband, she was escorted to the Brickdam Police Station, where statements were taken from her and she was sent away.

Persaud is survived by his mother, father, sister, brother, wife, seven-year-old daughter and three foster children.