Arima man stabbed to death

JUST a few hours after Carnival 2004, “The Greatest Show on earth,” came to an official end, murder number 40 for the year was recorded. Cocorite Road, Arima resident O’Neil Maloney, 34, was found floating face up in a shallow river yesterday morning around 7 am behind the Arima Comprehensive School, in an area known as Chadee lands. The fully clothed body bore several stab wounds and police believe the murder is drug-related. According to reports, at around 3 am residents heard someone shout out “Don’t kill me, don’t kill me,” This was followed by screams and, eventually, silence. Frightened residents refused to investigate. About four hours later,  a farmer on his way to his estate discovered the body and reported it to the police.

All of the victim’s jewelry and money were found on the body. When Newsday visited the man’s family, they refused to say much except that Maloney did not live with them. They also said he was seen last alive about three weeks ago. The post-mortem, performed by Dr Hughvon des Vignes, confirmed death by haemorrhaging consistent with stab wounds to the chest and back. Sgt Johnny Abraham is investigating the country’s latest murder.

Meanwhile, police are searching for the person or persons who shot Ahmed Garraway on Carnival Tuesday night. According to reports, Garraway, 20, of Sandalwood Crescent in Malabar, was liming along Malabar Extension Road near Pro-Bar in Malabar when he  heard a gunshot. He ran off but heard three more shots and felt a burning sensation in his  lower back. He collapsed on the ground with a bullet in his back, where he remained until the Emergency Health Services ambulance arrived and took him to the Arima District Hospital. He was  later transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was warded in a stable condition up to press time, after surgery to the remove the bullet. Investigations revealed that the shooting is for revenge related to the shooting of Malabar resident Shaka Wiley three weeks ago. Cpl Roger Riley is investigating.