Relatives of Cunupia cop: He did not die by suicide

The relatives of PC Brendon Mohammed are disputing reports that he died by suicide.

They insist that there were no signs to indicate he would take his own life.

Speaking with Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, this morning, relatives said Mohammed was last seen in "good spirits" by close relatives.

They suspect foul play in his death. They also said Mohammed, a career police officer, looked forward to the birth of his second grandchild and was considering retiring from the police service.

"Most of Sunday he spent painting the room for his grandchild who is on the way, installing air conditioning and making sure everything was up to mark," said one. "Does that sound like someone who would do something like that?

"On the very same day they found his body, that morning he was driving around and even went to play a Play Whe.

"I can't say much, but he had too much to live for. I don't believe he would have done that."

Relatives also said contrary to earlier reports, Mohammed did not call his wife beforehand.

"We are a very close-knit family. We sit around the table to eat and we know each other very well. So if he was depressed or something, we would have known about it. He never speaks about his work or any trouble he may have been facing. But he doesn't like to bother us."

They said Mohammed, 46, was a pillar of strength not only of his family but alsothe St Helena community where he owned and ran a mini-mart and restaurant out of his home and organised his neighbourhood sports club.

Despite this, Cunupia police said they are still treating his death as a suspected suicide, pending further evidence, with the cause of death listed as a single gunshot wound to the head.

Investigators are also awaiting the results of a toxicology report.

Mohammed, a police officer for 20 years, was last assigned to the Port of Spain Criminal Investigation Division's fingerprint section.