Thomas Road body that of freed bank robbery accused
Stabroek News
December 5, 2003
The decomposed body of a man which was found on Wednesday afternoon in the Thomas Road trench has been identified as that of 44-year-old Patrick Gunraj of Bel Air.
Yesterday morning his brother identified the man, who was one of the men freed of the spectacular $50M Anna Regina Bank robbery several years ago. The body bore what appeared to be bullet wounds.
A relative yesterday told Stabroek News that when they saw the body on television they realised that it was Gunraj, who is a father of a daughter and a son. The relative said that they recognised a tattoo on the man, which was in the shape of a cross with the name Indra, the name of his first wife.
Speaking to Stabroek News last evening the relative said that the last time he saw the man was on Wednesday on America Street where he was conducting business.
The relative said that since his release from jail the man had "turned his life around" and was not involved in any illicit activities.
This newspaper was told that the man was in the business of buying sheep, goats and cows, which he supplied to other persons. He was involved in the business along with another cousin.
It was this cousin, who saw his body on television and informed his relatives. His brother later positively identified him.
The relative said that the man lived in Bel Air with his reputed wife and daughter.
He said that the woman related that the last time she saw the man was Saturday night when he left informing her he was going to Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. Before leaving for Lusignan the man had taken his wife and daughter to a barbecue two houses away from where they lived.
The relative said that the man was scheduled to visit his cousin in Lusignan early Tuesday morning for them to conduct their business. After he did not show up, the cousin contacted other relatives but no one had seen the man. The relative said that when they contacted the man's reputed wife she told them that she had not seen him since Saturday night and even though they urged her to make a report to the station she did not do so.
"It ent safe to live in dis country any more, once you had a lil slip with the law people killing you even if you turn you life around," the relative said.