Missing Trini businessman believed found in Tobago: BURIED IN CONCRETE

RELATIVES of missing Carenage businessman Koongebeharry Jaisarie, 64, have already concluded the worst after a man’s body was found buried in concrete in an eight-foot grave at Old Milford Road, Lowlands, Tobago.

The gruesome find was made by police around 6.30 pm on Tuesday but investigators remain tight-lipped about the identity of the corpse. A police source said the body was clad in dark-coloured underwear and a multi-coloured striped t-shirt. ACP Vernon Roberts refused to reveal the state of decomposition of the body when contacted on Wednesday.

“The investigation is at a sensitive stage,” he said. Jaisarie was last seen on June 4 and was reported missing at the Carenage Police Station on June 7 after relatives were unable to contact him. He reportedly went to Tobago to conduct business but was not seen again.

Speaking to Newsday on Wednesday, Jaisarie’s brother Bobby told Newsday the clothing on the corpse and the area where the body was found was no coincidence.

He said, “From the location they found the body, it was in the same vicinity of where he disappeared. We are bearing in mind that the clothes he was wearing when he disappeared is the same that the corpse had on.” Bobby said Tobago police have already contacted the family and the body will be sent to Trinidad for identification.

“We had spoken to the police this morning and they notified us the body will be sent to Trinidad.” Bobby said this was a clear case of murder and his brother knew his killer/s.

“Technically, if you find somebody in an eight-feet grave covered in concrete, you understand where I coming from. Whoever did the job is somebody he was familiar with.”

Asked whether his brother had any enemies, Bobby said, “Not that we know of, but when you’re a businessman and have in your possession cash, you can have a lot of enemies. Let’s put it that way.

“He had his own business in Trinidad in Carenage, he had his mini mart, (auto) parts place, a garage; he also had a couple of apartment buildings and was part-owner of a guesthouse in Tobago. Plus, he had a taxi service as well. Once you have money, people around you would envy you...”

Bobby said Jaisarie, a father of four, was very loving to his children and was generally a kind person. “If you talk to anybody they will tell you he was a very nice person. He was always willing to help anybody who asked for help. He was a loving father to his daughters. The man was a good brother to everybody in the family.”

The discovery of the corpse on Tuesday evening preceded the fatal shooting of mason Dwight Turpin on Wednesday morning.
(See story below)

For the past month, four murders have been committed in Tobago. Turpin was working on the road with a Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Environment team in Black Rock when a gunman shot him repeatedly.

On June 5, brothers Kelton, 39, and Kenwyn James, 32, were gunned down in Les Coteaux. One man was arrested in Trinidad and has since been charged with the brothers’ murder.

Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis on Wednesday afternoon said he had little information about the body, believed to be Jaisarie, found in Lowlands on Tuesday but said it was troubling.

“Every occurrence of tragedy and untimely death concerns me…I want to give the people of Tobago (notice) that we are working in close collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service,” Dennis said. He noted that just last week he met with Police Commissioner Gary Griffith to discuss crime on the island.

“We discussed matters of safety and security in Tobago and I have been given the assurance that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service will continue to work closely with us here in Tobago to ensure that we manage the crime situation here on the island.”

Dennis called on the public to work with the police to reduce crime.

“Let us therefore continue to be vigilant, let us continue to be very observant and look out not for only ourselves but for our fellow brothers and sisters, and let us also be as collaborative and co-operative as possible with those that are responsible for the security of the island and the nation by extension.”

-with reporting by

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY