Cunupia businessman kidnapped, $3M ransom demanded

Senior Investigative Reporter

shaliza.hassanali@guardian.co.tt

Central Trinidad recorded its third kidnapping in four months on Saturday night when 33-year-old businessman Suvesh “Cooksie” Ramnarine was abducted from Robs Bar in Cunupia by five men dressed in police tactical wear. A $3 million ransom has been demanded for his safe return.

Ramnarine is the owner of Costura, a business in Warrenville which sells commercial restaurant and supermarket equipment.

Video footage showed the suspects pulling up in front of the bar on Southern Main Road in a black Tucson with blue flashing lights on the dashboard. They walked through the main entrance of the business place with guns draped over their shoulders.

Less than two minutes later, Ramnarine was seen being bundled into the Tucson which quickly drove off. The men also took Ramnarine’s Prado, PCX-3087.

Approximately 22 minutes after the abduction, a close female relative of Ramnarine received a call from him stating that he had been kidnapped and a ransom was being demanded for his release. Up to yesterday, he remained in the hands of his kidnappers. His Prado was found abandoned at Mon Jaloux, Cunupia.

Acting ASP Naim Gyan of Central Division said the police have multiple leads into the kidnapping but are still working on a motive.

At Ramnarine’s home, where his business is located, the door was shut tight yesterday. The operator of a nearby variety store described Ramnarine as friendly, pleasant and down to earth.

“He is not no limer and no gangster boy. He is very nice,” she said, adding that his abduction had shocked the community.

Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed said kidnappings in the borough have been increasing at an alarming rate and business owners are running scared and fleeing the country.

He warned that the upsurge could “spark vigilante justice” and if the public does not have confidence in the T&T Police Service “you would have to take matters into your own hands. That is the cry I am hearing from businessmen and the community at large.”

Mohammed added: “’It is a sad situation. It shows that businessmen in the borough can’t enjoy the fruits of their labour because of crime. This is the third kidnapping in four months. One is too much. But three that raises a lot of concern.”

The mayor said while he awaits the outcome of the investigations if lawmen are involved, there are a lot of questions to be answered.

“If this is just criminal elements involved in the kidnapping, where are they getting the attire from? Where are they getting the blue lights from?” he asked.

Mohammed said the borough has been booming with businesses and activities but complaints of extortions are still surfacing.

“I wouldn’t doubt if this (Ramnarine’s kidnapping) have a link to some kind of extortion,” he said. Last month, at a business meeting in Chaguanas, Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland assured the the police have put systems in place by the police to deal with extortion.

On July 19, Komal Maharaj, a 40-year-old former school teacher, was kidnapped outside a bank in Price Plaza, Chaguanas. He was found on August 2.

Pierre Road, Felicity businessman Sachel Kungebeharry, 32, was kidnapped on September 25 by three men dressed in police operational wear. A $500,000 ransom was reportedly paid four days later for his safe release but his decomposing body was found on October 3 in a shallow grave off Pokhor Road, Longdenville.

Acting Cpl Ashraf Mohammed, 45, of Chin Chin Road, Cunupia, and PC Jason Dan Michael, 34, of Charlieville, who were last assigned to the Caroni Police Station, have been charged with Kungebeharry’s murder and misbehaving in public office by kidnapping for ransom.

The officers were last assigned to the Caroni Police Station.

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