Man, woman charged

Yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC gave the police the go-ahead to charge a 38-year-old relative of the Rampersads and his former girlfriend. They will this morning appear before a San Fernando Magistrates’ Court to answer charges of kidnapping and murdering Mahase Rampersad, 64, and Darling Rampersad, 62. The couple built Maska Limited and M Rampersad Auto Supplies in San Fernando, into a multi-million dollar enterprise which today is known locally and internationally.

On August 3, 2002, Mahase and Darling were kidnapped as they were about to enter the driveway of their Bennet Drive, Palmiste home. Four days later, their bodies were found stuffed in the trunk of Mahase’s Mercedes Benz luxury sedan which was parked off a trace in Woodland, along the outskirts of San Fernando. Mahase and Darling, originally from Barrackpore who spawned a chain of multi-million dollar businesses in San Fernando including a vehicle parts shop, were shot in the back of their head and their skulls crushed. Autopsy reports concluded that death was due to cerebral cranial injuries.

The investigation into the killings ran cold for years despite more than 30 persons being questioned.

No one was ever charged with the murders. Over the years, several senior homicide detectives retired without being able to solve the double murder.

But the police never gave up and over the past five months, after getting new information, worked quietly behind the scene building their case.

The detectives who worked tirelessly in obtaining evidence over the past few weeks, felt confident enough to move in and arrest a male relative of the murdered couple and his former girlfriend.

The officers working on the case are Supt Cyril Harry (Head of Southern Division’s Homicide Bureau), Sgt Arnold Lutchman who is legal adviser to the Criminal Investigation Department (South), Cpls Ashley Mungroo and Terry Tambie and detective constable Nishard Hosein.

Since their arrest, the relative and ex-girlfriend have been kept at the San Fernando Police Station. Gaspard yesterday instructed officers to charge the two with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of murder.

At the time when Mahase and wife Darling were abducted, they had returned from a birthday party at the home of their daughter, Geeta Ramjattan, who also lived in Palmiste.

Darling was said to be worth more than $13 million, her assets included a Mercedes Benz, 14 US bank accounts, real estate and five insurance policies worth more than US$300,000.

Charges were laid by Cpl Tambie.