MP’s son slain

TWO days after Ashmead Baksh, son of UNC MP for Naparima, Nizam Baksh, was snatched outside his home at Barrackpore, his burnt body with two bullet wounds at the back of his head was found in a forested area a few miles from his home. His body was found at around 10 am yesterday by persons who were assisting the Baksh family search for the 30-year-old engineer. Police have held two men who up to last night were being questioned at the Barrackpore Police Station.

Describing the mafia-style killing as a well orchestrated hit, senior officers believe a ransom demand for $5 million which the family received was used as a diversionary tactic to throw investigators off the trail. “From information received, we believe they wanted to kill him,” a senior officer said. Baksh’s car was found burnt on Saturday at Monkey Town, Barrackpore. Police believe Baksh was killed somewhere else and his body dumped on the side of the road and burnt. As word spread about his death yesterday, several UNC members, friends and relatives rushed to the scene, four miles inside Platanite Road, to support distraught relatives. Police and relatives waited at the scene before the District Medical Officer arrived, viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Forensic Science Centre, where an autopsy is expected to be performed today.

Ashmead’s uncle, Shahid Baksh, who was in charge of the search parties, was the first to receive the tragic news and the first family member to arrive on the scene. Baksh said his nephew’s body also bore a chop wound to the forehead and his hands and feet were tied. The victim’s uncle was able to identify Ashmead by his physical build, height, sneakers, clothing and watch. The uncle said before the body was found he had visited that particular area five times since his nephew’s disappearance. He explained that the job site Ashmead went to check out when he was kidnapped was in the same area his body was found. “Since Thursday they calling him about that job... they wanted him to dig a pond. I believe it was a set up to kidnap him,” he said. On the brink of tears, Baksh added that his theory was that his nephew was kidnapped for money but was killed because he (Ashmead) recognised his abductors. “They (killers) were amateurs and they panicked,” he added. “He (Ashmead) was a very quiet and humble man. He could not hurt a fly,” Baksh said.

Less than two hours before learning of his son’s death yesterday, MP Baksh, in a telephone interview, said his son had no enemies and was well loved in the community. Asked if the family had been prepared to pay a ransom, he said they were in a difficult financial situation since they recently constructed several buildings and owed the bank money. When Newsday visited the house of mourning at Rochard Douglas Road, scores of people, including Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday, several UNC MP’s and prominent businessmen, were extending their condolences to the shocked family.  Relatives said Ashmead’s parents and wife were still trying to come to terms with his death and were too distraught to speak with the media. Visiting the scene was a party of officers from the San Fernando Homicide and Anti-Kidnapping Squad, headed by Snr Supt Dawson Victor.