Chinese businesswoman murdered

The young mother succumbed to the single gunshot injury shortly after 11 pm at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC)..

Police confirmed that Yana Zeng is the third Chinese national to be murdered in this country this year. According to reports, Zeng owned and operated Que Que Mini Mart in Cantaro Village and at 9.15 pm on Tuesday, two men, one armed, announced a robbery. Zeng was ordered to hand over an undisclosed amount of cash by the gunman..

As the bandits were leaving, the gunman turned and fired a single shot which struck Zeng in the chest..

Her children, aged six and four, and husband Pinya Pochntan, saw Zeng slump to the ground..

People who heard the gunshot and saw Pochntan run out of the mini mart screaming for help, alerted the police..

Officers took Zeng to Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. A traumatised Pochntan subsequently contacted officials of the Chinese Embassy in Port of Spain and informed them of the murder. Two Embassy officials yesterday accompanied Pochntan to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where he identified the body of his wife..

An autopsy by pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov confirmed Zeng was shot once on the left side of the chest. There was also blunt force trauma to her head as Pochntan revealed that she was beaten on the head with the bandit’s gunbutt..

The autopsy showed that the bullet penetrated her left lung and punctured a major artery which led to massive internal bleeding and death..

Yesterday, Zeng’s landlord Bryan Beckles said the victim’s children and husband are now staying with him as they have no other relative in this country. Beckles said this was not the first time Zeng was robbed. Her children were born in this country. He added that Pochntan, who barely speaks English, has become withdrawn since his wife’s murder..

“She was a very nice person who fitted into the Cantaro Village community. She was a very pleasant person, very hard working and had become like family to me,” Beckles said. He added that Zeng worked Sunday to Sunday..

“I am deeply shocked at what has taken place. They had already robbed her and she was no threat to them. Why did they have to kill her for,” Beckles asked..

The landlord said while he is assisting Pochntan with funeral arrangements, it is not known if Zeng’s funeral will be held in Trinidad or if her body will be flown back to China for final rites. Yesterday, police said investigators have secured closed-circuit (CCTV) video footage of the robbery which they hope could provide clues and lead to arrests..

Yesterday, Embassy officials said they are assisting the family but at this point in time do not want to divulge any further details. They however expressed sadness over the murder..

Last week Thursday, Chinese nationals Shirui Zhao, 32, and Yanli Gu, 29, were sitting in a car in the car park of a Marabella restaurant when a gunman sprayed the car with bullets. The couple died at the scene as police confirmed more than 60 shots were fired into the car. No arrest has been made in both incidents..

The murder toll yesterday stood at 250 for the year and 33 for this month as compared to 225 and 29 respectively, for the corresponding periods last year..