Six bandits early yesterday morning struck at the Mon Repos home of Bhagwat Persaud and his family and fled in a waiting car with $400,000 and a box containing an undisclosed sum of money, the family said.

The gang attacked at about 05:45 hrs as Persaud, 40, was about to leave for work.

 

 

Persaud is the brother of Ramdeo Persaud, 43, known as David and `Sweetie Man', who along with his reputed wife, Mahadai Magoo, 34, also called Sita Persaud, was shot dead, execution-style, when six bandits stormed their home at 57, Peter Street, Annandale North, two Saturday nights ago.

Persaud told the Chronicle that he was on the bridge to his yard at around 05:30 hrs yesterday and went back inside to get a shirt before leaving for work.

On entering the house he said he saw someone move and momentarily thought it was a member of his family who had come from the upper flat of the two-flat house.

Persaud said he was then escorted to his room upstairs and to his amazement three other armed bandits were already there.

He said he handed over a box with money and his wife Zabeda Ali, who was awake, was hit a few times by the bandits, but no other force was used.

THE Mon Repos home of Bhagwat Persaud and family who were robbed by armed bandits early yesterday morning.

After he handed over the money the bandits demanded more, the businessman related.

He said he took them downstairs to a storeroom where there was a drawer with about $400,000, which the bandits took.

They then fled in a gold/peach car believed to be a Toyota Carina in which two more bandits had been waiting, he said.

Persaud said the Police were summoned, arrived on the scene about 10 minutes after and took statements from members of the family.

A brother-in-law of the family who resides abroad but came home for the funeral of Ramdeo Persaud and his wife, told the Chronicle that his suitcase and briefcase with his passport and other documents which were in the same room the bandits went into, were untouched.

Persaud, who is also in the confectionery business his slain brother was in, recalled that last Friday one of the bandits wearing a `tope' hat and hiding his face, had passed by and was looking suspiciously in the direction of his house.

He was wearing the same hat and hiding his face in a similar manner at the time of the robbery yesterday, Persaud added.

He also said it was very noticeable that the bandits did not touch anything with their hands, but used their guns to move aside anything that was in their way.

This, he suggested, was to ensure that they did not leave any fingerprints.

Persaud is upset about the impression being created by certain media houses and TV `talk show hosts'.

In particular, he cited the example of one `talk show host' who had implied that his brother had been involved in illegal and `underhand business' by rhetorically asking the question, "If selling two pack of corn curls and sweets can result in amassing such wealth?"

He also feels that a newspaper report which said a box containing $8M and jewellery had been received by him after his brother's death could have contributed to yesterday's attack.

Meanwhile, residents and relatives who gathered at the home yesterday morning to provide moral support to the family, expressed anger at the spate of crimes and are disappointed that the authorities have not been able to apprehend the criminals at large or curb the attacks on innocent civilians.

Tuesday, May 21, 2002