Don’t judge him, relatives beg

Maharaj was released from police custody on Saturday night.

“We can only imagine the pain that the Banfield family must be going through, but the police have to do their jobs properly and make sure to catch the right person for this crime,” said relatives at Maharaj’s El Socorro home yesterday.

Maharaj was not at home yesterday but his relatives said he was not the kind of person who would harm anyone.

“I know people will say that family will always take care of their own, but ask anyone on this street ... He is a very shy and quiet boy. He would not hurt a fly. If a dog on the road comes up to him and bites him, he would let the dog bite him and not do it nothing.

He doesn’t even like the sight of blood.” His family said it was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and bad information which led to him being labelled as a person of interest by the police.

They said he only, six weeks ago, secured the job as a clerk at IAM and Company. He was robbed at his last place of employment and decided to quit for fear of being targeted again.

Sources said Maharaj told police he did not see Banfield at the store on Monday as the businessplace, where her body was found three days later, was very busy.

He said on Tuesday, he did not go to work and on Wednesday, he arrived late and was sent home, despite reports that Maharaj had not been seen by his employers for two days.

Residents in the El Socorro area where he lives said Maharaj was non-confrontational and quiet. They said they did not believe he had anything to do with the girl’s death.

At St Helena, residents said they recognised the other man being held for questioning by police.

They admitted they were shocked. One woman said she recognised him as soon as his photography was shown on the news.

“I would normally see him as he was coming from work, with a back pack on his back walking from the junction,” said the resident. “We never talked. He would always have a serious face, and would not say anything to anyone.” Other residents said he was a quiet individual who hardly interacted with anyone in the area.

Investigators told Newsday they were conducting final interviews and are expected to approach the Director of Public Prosecutions today for directions.

Up to late yesterday, police were still questioning the second man in the presence of his attorney Larry Williams.

Banfield left her workplace on Monday at 4 pm and told her mother she was going to Pennywise Cosmetics and IAM on Charlotte Street before going home.

Her mother Sherry Ann Lopez said Shannon did not make it to her Santa Cruz home and her mother reported her missing to police.

On Thursday, Banfield’s bloated, decomposing body was found on a shelf in a storeroom on the third floor of the store. Cardboard boxes were used to conceal her body.