Rio Claro man charged with taxi driver’s murder

Motee Sookram, 43, is expected to appear virtually before a Rio Claro magistrate on Monday charged with three offences, including murder.

Sookram, who lives at Rajpaul Trace off Legendre Road, Rio Claro, was charged with the murder of taxi driver Radesh Kumar and possession of a gun and ammunition.

PC Collin Gillead laid the charges on Saturday on the advice of assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul, a police release said.

Kumar was shot dead at around 10 pm on May 14 at a camp site in a forested area in Rio Claro. Acting on information received, ASP Douglas of the Homicide Bureau Region II and other police found the body the following day.

Investigations revealed Kumar was in a hammock at the camp with other people. There was an argument and he was shot in the face. He died at the scene. The body was then allegedly moved to an area away from the camp, police said.

An exercise led by ASP Douglas and including PC Gillead and other officers from the Homicide Bureau Region II Office, Rio Claro CID and Eastern Divisional Task Force led to Sookram's arrest.