(Trinidad Guardian) Generous Trinidadians have responded to an appeal by Guyanese national Kumar Shivpersaud to help send the body of his murdered friend and countryman Khemraj Persaud back home for burial.
Persaud’s body was flown back to his Berbice, Guyana home yesterday, 10 days after he was murdered. Shivpersaud said his parents will receive the body.
Funeral arrangements have been made for Saturday.
Shivpersaud, on Wednesday, thanked many individuals and cricket teams Persaud represented in the eight years he has been visiting and working in Trinidad, for their generosity.
“Without their support, we would have never been able to send his body back home to Guyana, because he comes from a poor family.”
Shivpersaud said he was not entrusted with the funeral collection, so he could not say how much money was received.
“But there is a list of all the names of the people who contributed. Most of it was used to pay Boodoo’s Funeral Home, where the body was stored and for his flight back to Guyana. There is some left and that would be given to his (Khemraj’s) parents.”
Persaud, 30, was shot to death at Duncan Village, La Romaine, on April 25. His friend, Guyanese Sean Boodhoo, with whom he shared an apartment, was also shot and remains warded at the San Fernando General Hospital.
The two men were employed in construction work in T&T.
To date, police have not made any arrests and suspect that shooter may have fled to Venezuela.
Shivpersaud said he hoping the suspect is caught and convicted for the crime but left everything in the hands of the police.
According to a police report, the suspect, while visiting a relative in the apartment building where Persaud and Boodhoo lived, reportedly urinated on a washing machine the men used.
During an argument Boodhoo, who witnessed the act, chastised the suspect. Persaud who was inside the apartment came out and tried to quell the disturbance. However, the suspect went to his parked vehicle, took out a gun and opened fire, hitting both men.
Persaud was shot twice in the head and died on the spot. Boodhoo was shot in the chest and was taken to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
Shivpersaud said he visited Boodhoo on Tuesday and he is recovering well.
Investigations are continuing.
Khemraj Persaud
