Blind drug lord’s body found in Arima forest

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of partially blind Wallerfield drug lord, Anthony Ramcharan, who was reported abducted not far from his Mt Zion Street home in Wallerfield on Saturday night, was solved yesterday with the grim discovery of his body in Arima. His murder has raised the 2005 murder toll to 136 in 139 days. The decomposed semi-nude body of Ramcharan, alias “Cocotte,” was found yesterday morning at the bottom of a precipice three and a half miles into the Heights of Guanapo Forest, Arima. A few hours earlier, at 7.30 pm on Thursday, Ramco Gas truck driver Churan Omedath, 38, was shot dead at his Peyton Place home in Longdenville, in what police are calling “a work-related scenario.” That was murder number 135.

And only two hours before that, Long Circular resident Martin Moore was stabbed to death by a relative in an ongoing family feud. Ramcharan, 39, was beaten and shot in the leg and hip on Saturday, while attending a birthday party on Prunette Street, Wallerfield. The body of his driver, Albert Hosein, was found early Sunday morning on the Old Blanchisseuse Road. The fact that police had a conversation with Ramcharan on Sunday led family members to believe that he was still alive. All hope was dashed yesterday when a passer-by was attracted by a stench coming from the bottom of the precipice. Investigations revealed the body of a man in a long pants and sneakers. He was later identified by his brother. Ramcharan, who served time in prison for drug trafficking, began going blind when he was shot in a marijuana field.

Meanwhile, family members of St James murder victim Martin Moore are praying for the release of another relative, who is facing a possible murder rap. According to reports, Moore, 45, and a relative with whom Moore had been involved in an ongoing feud, got into an argument around 6.15 pm, and threats were exchanged. The two then got into a fight before the relative reportedly spun around and stabbed Moore in the chest. Moore was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he later died.

When Newsday visited the area, relatives described Moore as a miserable man who was always harassing his relative. The relative was described as a quiet person who had been tolerating the attacks for years, and he just got fed up. Police seized a bloody short-handled knife at the scene. The relative, 47, accompanied by a lawyer and other family members, yesterday walked into the St James Police Station and gave himself up. Police are now awaiting instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to lay charges. Visiting the scene were Sen Supt Roach, ASP Cadette, Insp Lezama, Sgt Dan and Cpl Bassey who is investigating.