Executed for owing money

TAXI driver Sieudath Maharaj is believed to have been murdered because he owed someone money, his brother, Gavindra Maharaj suspects.

Maharaj’s bullet-ridden body was found in his silver blue B14 Nissan Sentra vehicle around 9.30pm Wednesday at Peters Lane, Demerara Road, Wallerfield. The 38-year-old father of three children, ages 6, 8 and 11, who last lived in Sangre Grande had been shot five times, three in the head and twice in the shoulder. Maharaj, who once worked at Charles Candy, was found by a passerby. He died on the spot after the shooting incident, which police have described as an execution. A report was made and a party of officers headed by Sr Supt Farouk Ghany and including ASPs Fitzroy Fredericks, Wesley Moore and Leon Anthony, Insp Bullen, Cpl Smith and others visited the scene.

Police sources said the officers recovered several spent shells inside and outside the vehicle.  However, his car and wallet was intact, ruling out the possibility of a robbery. But at his former address at Swami Avenue, in El Socorro, Gavindra Maharaj said his brother owed a man money. He could not, however, say who the man was, how much money was owed, and why his brother borrowed the cash. Gavindra said he last saw his brother on Monday when he (Sieudath) passed to eat.  He said his brother had been living with his father in Sangre Grande for the past month. He also said his brother plied his vehicle for hire and had been divorced from his wife, Savi.  He said the divorce took place earlier this year without their knowledge. No arrests had been made up to late evening and WP Sgt Cox-Modeste of the Arima Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is  investigating.