Murdered woman left $13 Million

DARLING Rampersad, 62, south businesswoman who with her husband Mohess, 64, was kidnapped and murdered near their home in Palmiste in August 2002, left an estate worth over $13 million although her four children had previously stated that at the time of her death she only owned a Mercedes Benz vehicle worth $300,000.

It was subsequently discovered that she had 14 bank accounts including US accounts worth over $1.5 million, real estate property and five insurance policies worth over $300,000 (US).

No application has yet been made for the estate of her husband Mohess. The couple were the owners of M Rampersad Auto Supplies Ltd of Barrackpore.

The couple's two sons, Mukesh and Narish and their two daughters, Geeta Ramjattan and Angeline Nathu-Hari had first applied on September 11, 2002, for administration of their mother's estate, stating that the estate comprised only a Mercedes Benz car and that she had no cash in the bank or in hand, no real estate, no stocks or shares. They were granted letters of administration.

But on November 20, 2002 they made a second application stating that they had since discovered that Darling also owned parcels of land with buidings, bank accounts including US accounts and insurance policies. The discovery pushed the value of Darling's estate from ownership of only a Benz vehicle to over $13 million in assets.

The supplemental documents were filed by Mukesh Rampersad, a Managing Director of 496 Mahogany Grove, Block 2, Extension, Palmiste, La Romaine; Geeta Ramjattan (formerly Rampersad), a Director, of 454 Pollonis Crescent, Block 3, Palmiste, La Romaine; Angeline Nathu-Hari, a Director of 33 Bel View Drive, Bel Air; and Naresh Rampersad, a Managing Director who lives at 11-15 Siddiq Drive, Gulf View, La Romaine.

The second inventory showed that Darling Rampersad left money in 14 bank accounts totalling over TT$6 million. Included in this amount were three US bank accounts with US$235,302.10. She also left four parcels of land valued $5,457,938.32. Darling also had five life insurance policies, three valued at $100,000 (US) each, one with Colonial Life, two with Royal Bank and two with Caribbean Home Insurance worth TT $640 and $523.

The couple who were the founders/owners of M Rampersad Auto Supplies Ltd of Barrackpore, were kidnapped in front of their Palmiste home on August 4 minutes after leaving a birthday party at the home of one of their daughters some two houses away from theirs. No ranson demand was ever made and police began a search for them. On August 7, their bodies were found bound and battered in a canefield in Woodland, La Romaine. Police believed they had been shot to death the very night they were kidnapped. In a few days time they would have celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.