Kidnap victim kept in hole — escapes abductors

A Kidnap victim who was kept in a three-foot-deep hole in the hills at Malick, escaped his abductors early yesterday and was up until yesterday being treated at the St Augustine Medical Clinic for dehydration, shock and physical injuries. Imran Hosein who was kidnapped for 17 days at Trincity, told police officers that he was kept in a hole in bushes at Malick, Barataria, for four days. According to Hosein, after being kidnapped on April 7, he was kept in bushes at different locations, but four days ago he was blindfolded and placed in a shallow hole about three feet deep. He added that he was gagged and his hands and feet bound together.

The teenager was also beaten, threatened and fed water and biscuits sparingly. He said that when he was placed in the hole, the abductors covered it with galvanise and grass. The teenager said that he felt suffocated and thought that his end was near but he kept praying. He said that the kidnappers never stayed around to guard him, but checked on him to ensure that he was still in the hole. He said that on Saturday night when the kidnappers left, he hatched a plan to escape. He managed to untie his hands and feet and crept slowly out of the hole.

In the dark of the night with the existing strength in his body, he crawled through the bushes and made his way to Cocoa Road, off Laventille Road, San Juan. There he solicited the assistance of a man who took him to the San Juan Police Station. Officers contacted Richard Hosein, the father of Imran and he was taken to the St Augustine Medical Clinic. Yesterday, police officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Squad led by Sgt Joseph Issac and including PCs Robertson, Ramsook, Jagmohan, George, Sookdeo and Stanisclaus, walked several miles into a forested area in a bid to locate the hole where Hosein was kept.

The area was checked for prints. At Trincity, relatives of Imran refused to be interviewed saying that they were happy that he was reunited with his family. Nurses at the St Augustine Medical Clinic said that they were unable to release any information on Imran. Imran was snatched around 10.20 pm on April 7, while dropping off his girlfriend at Montague Avenue, Trincity. Imran’s father Richard was contacted by kidnappers who demanded $3 million for his safe release. Richard owns Stationer Warehouse stores in Curepe and Trincity.