Body of man found in Caroni identified as taxi-driver

The body of a man found at Trantril Road, Caroni, on Wednesday was identified yesterday as 36-year-old taxi-driver Lawrence Augustine. The body was identified by his relatives at the Forensic Science Centre. An autopsy carried out yesterday revealed that death was due to suffocation.

At Mason Street, Diego Martin, where Augustine lived, his sister Sommer told Newsday that her brother had no enemies and was not involved with any gang or illicit activities. According to Augustine, the last time she saw her brother alive was around 8 pm on Sunday when he left home to ply his car from Diego Martin to Port-of-Spain. She claimed that her brother was well known in the area and was known as “Gad” since he was a member of the 12 Tribe, a Rastafarian movement. The grieving woman said that her brother was seen by a  neighbour driving his car around 3 am on Monday morning. The car had five passengers who appeared to have rasta hairstyles. She pointed out that when her brother failed to return home, everyone became worried and began praying for his safety.

On Monday, Sommer received a telephone call from the Mon Repos police station which revealed that the car was discovered intact in their district. They added that Augustine was nowhere to be found. The vehicle, a white Nissan B-13, was checked for prints. On both Monday and Tuesday, checks were carried out for him to no avail. On Wednesday, around 11.15 am, farmers on their way to a nearby rice field were alerted to a foul stench emanating from a drain. A check was made and the bloated body of a man with his hands tied to the front of his body was discovered. The St Joseph Police as well as homicide officers were alerted. The murdered taxi-driver’s mother, June Augustine, who is in the United States, is expected in the country on Saturday. Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised.