Police greeted with bullets at murder scene

TWO officers approaching a murder scene in Morvant yesterday were forced to duck for cover when they were greeted with gunfire by two fleeing assailants. According to reports, the officers of the Morvant Police Station responded to reports of gunfire at Poinsettia Drive, Morvant, at 12.15 am on Wednesday. As they were approaching Building 10, they were greeted with gunfire. As the two gunmen fled the scene, one of whom is known to the police, the officers checked Apartment Four where they found the body of Protective Services Ltd security guard Esan Faria. The room had been ransacked. The police quickly cordoned off the area, while searches were made of the surrounding district without results. Police believe Faria, who had two gunshot wounds at the back of the head, was made to kneel and fought back, when he was shot.

Investigations revealed that Faria, who also worked as a PH driver, arrived at home after work and was about to enter his apartment when he was accosted by two men who pushed him inside. During the struggle, gunshots were heard, and Faria’s body was later found. When Newsday visited the family home, a traumatised  Dixie-Ann Faria, the dead man’s mother, described her only child as “a wonderful, cool, hard-working person. He did not smoke, take any drugs or do anything questionable. He has not given me a grandchild or had time to live. Now he is gone.” Police confirmed that a warrant put was put out for a former convict who was recently released from prison and who is wanted for several shootings, robberies and rape in the area.

The suspect is also believed to have shot a former senior member of a religious organisation a few years ago in a hired hit. The suspect is in his mid-30s. Faria’s killing took the murder toll to 385 for 2005, while the murder of Ryan Darasat, owner of Sneakerzone in Port-of-Spain, was recorded as the 384th murder for the year. Visiting the scene were Senior Supt Traveajo, Supt Trim, Insp Hilaire, and Cpl Vidale of the Morvant Criminal Investigation Department. Sgt Ramdeen of the Homicide Bureau is investigating.