Body found in plastic bag floating in pond

THE BODY of State witness, Kevin Richards of Longdenville was found yesterday in a plastic bag, which also contained pieces of concrete, officers of the Central Division said. Identification of the body was revealed late yesterday via gold tooth in the mouth. Senior police officials earlier said they were working on the theory that it may be the body of Richards who was due to testify in a matter involving a man described by police as a “kidnap kingpin.” Richards was due to testify for the State in the kidnapping of Saran “Billy” Kissoondath, who was kidnapped on the evening of February 23 and released on March 13 on the Solomon Hochoy Highway.

Police sources said Richards went missing last weekend and had not been seen or heard since. Dental checks and fingerprints at Forensic Science Centre were done for a positive identification. The gruesome discovery was made around 4.30 pm on Thursday by Longdenville farmer Pooran Ram-lakhan, who according to the police, was going to his garden in Longdenville when he observed a plastic bag floating in a pond at Depot Road. The farmer contacted the police and a party of officers from the Central Division headed by Insps Gopiecharan and Ramlal, along with Sgts Sylvester and Ramlochan visited the scene and conducted investigations. When the bag was fished out and the body taken out of the plastic bag, police said the man’s hands were tied in front of his body with a piece of yellow cord.

District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Teelucksingh was also called in to view the body which he later ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre. Sgt Sylvester of the Chaguanas CID is continuing investigations. In an unrelated case, officers of the St Joseph CID are investigating a shooting incident in which Curepe resident Nicholas Mohammed, 24, was shot on the right leg. Police said around 8.30 pm, Mohammed was proceeding north along Evans Street, Curepe, when he was stopped by a man in a vehicle. The man came out of the vehicle and robbed Mohammed of $80 then shot him.  No arrests had been made up to late evening and PC Williams of the St Joseph CID is continuing investigations.