Uber driver found shot to death

SOMEWHERE in the United States, a computer server may hold information that is key to solving the murder of 28-year-old Uber driver Christopher Mohammed who was found dead Thursday night near a panyard at the corner of Mucurapo Road and Ethel Street in St James. Mohammed, who worked as a sous chef aboard an oil rig and was a part-time Uber driver, was shot and his body dumped at an empty lot. His body was discovered by passers-by, who called the police.

Speaking at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday, Mohammed’s father Kayam Mohammed was overcome with grief as he remembered the caring, selfless nature of his son. Mohammed said when he got home from work, he repeatedly tried calling his son but a woman identifying herself only as “Ann” answered the cellphone, telling him Christopher was asleep.

The elder Mohammed asked the woman for directions and was told to meet her at Bournes Road. While on his way, Mohammed said he saw a large gathering of police on Mucurapo Road. Mohammed told one of the policemen that his son was missing. They took him to where a body was on the road. It was his son.

“He now started living his life. He used to work so hard to support his family. His mother is very ill right now and I don’t think she can handle all that is going on. I felt he put up a fight, because he worked very hard to buy that vehicle. I just happened to come across where he was killed and I still can’t get over it.”

Relatives said Christopher began working as an Uber driver six months ago and they did not think any danger could come to him while on the job. They also expressed concern for the safety of other drivers. “He normally worked close to home in Piarco, by the airport, picking up passengers. We thought that would have been safe for him. But look at what came and happened.”

A former Uber driver, who asked not to be identified, said she stopped working because of safety concerns, specifically when she heard about drivers being robbed. In March, a 13-year-old Form One student was identified in an ID parade as one of the suspects involved in robbing five Uber drivers in Belmont between February and mid-March. A 22-year-old man, believed to be the ringleader, was also held. The five drivers told Belmont police they were asked to pick up a passenger in Belmont, then ambushed and robbed of cash, cell phones and other valuables by a group of bandits who were mainly teenagers. Christopher’s car, a silver Toyota Corolla was found by police at Blue Basin in Diego Martin at 7 am yesterday.

Christopher’s aunt Tessa Mohammed said her nephew worked hard to help support his family and his ailing mother. He saved his money to buy a seven-seater van, which is driven by a close friend and was inspired by his mother to start a transport service for senior citizens.

Newsday visited Uber’s Ana Street, Woodbrook office to get more information from the company, but was advised by staff to contact the press secretary in the US for an official comment.

Julie Robinson, Uber’s spokesperson in an emailed statement to Newsday said, “At Uber, we are heartbroken by the tragic loss of the Uber driver, Christopher Mohammed. We offer our deepest condolences and prayers to his family during this difficult time. We are proactively communicating with the authorities (in TT) to provide them with any information they need”.

According to Uber’s website, all calls to drivers are regulated by computer servers and management keeps a log of all clients, including the addresses for pick-ups and destinations, which could be used as evidence in locating Mohammed’s killer. There was an outpouring of condolences on social media for Mohammed, an old boy of Hillview College, Tunapuna, from fellow alumni, along with calls for justice.