[UPDATED] Couva man kidnapped, killed in Las Lomas No 1

Weeks after 53-year-old Couva poultry farmer Imran Mohammed was found after going missing, gunmen abducted and killed him on Tuesday afternoon.

His 22-year-old was abducted along with his father, but managed to escape from the killers.

On February 12, Mohammed went missing and a relative reported it to Couva police the next day. On February 15, police announced that he had been found, but gave no further details.

Police said the father and son, from Dow Village in California, were in a Suzuki car in Chaguanas at around 12.30 pm on Tuesday. Mohammed was driving. As they neared the Londgenville Old Road, a black B15 car drove in front of Mohammed's, forcing him to stop.

Two gunmen got out and ordered the father and son to get into the back seat of their Suzuki. One gunman, wearing gloves, got into the driver’s seat and the other in the front passenger seat.

Police said the gunmen drove for some minutes to an unknown location, where they bound the hands and covered the faces of the father and son. The gunmen bundled them into the trunk and continued driving.

When the car stopped, the son managed to untie himself and called out to nearby residents who called the Las Lomas police post.

Unknown to residents, the killers parked the car, with Mohammed’s body in the trunk, in a yard and walked off. Police believe their getaway car was somewhere nearby.

Police, including PCs Ragoonath and Joseph, responded and found Mohammed’s body around 2 pm next to the car at Mahaica in Las Lomas.

Before the police found the car, the son had seen it and removed his father from the trunk to try to revive him.

He had a wound to the right side of his head and blood was running from his nose. Police believe he might have been strangled and hit in his face.

Up to Wednesday, they did not give a motive for the murder. Investigators also did not say if the murder was linked to Mohammed’s disappearance two weeks ago.

No one has been arrested.

Central and Homicide Bureau Region III police, including PC Griffith and WPC Serioux, also visited the scene and spoke to several people.

When Newsday visited the family’s home on Wednesday, relatives were too distraught to speak. However, they confirmed that Mohammed was recently missing and found but gave no further details.

The abduction of the father and son happened 12 days after an Arima man was abducted at his workplace in Chaguaramas.

But up to Wednesday, the whereabouts of Zephaniah Harripaul, 33, a shift supervisor at Tucker Energy Services at Western Main Road, was still unknown.

Police said Harripaul, of O'Meara Road, was last seen at work pre-dawn on February 17.

A report said at around 2.15 am that date, his grey Hyundai Tuscon was seen leaving the compound and a car driving closely behind. An unknown person was driving Harripaul’s SUV, and an alarm went off alerting security.

The driver got out of the SUV and got in the car, which sped off.

The Carenage police were contacted and searched for Harripaul without success.

Members of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit also helped search for him.

Relatives and the NGO Hunters Search and Rescue Team has joined the search.

On Wednesday, the NGO appealed to anyone with information about Harripaul’s whereabouts to call its members at 475-4350 or 320-1167.

People can also call the Carenage police at 637-3123 or the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at 623-6793.

Calls can also be made to the police at 999, 555, 911, or Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS (8477) or report it via the TTPS app.

This story has been updated to include additional details. Read original below:

Weeks after missing Couva poultry farmer Imran Mohammed, 53, was found, gunmen abducted and killed him on Tuesday afternoon.

Mohammed’s son Isaiah Mohammed, 22, was kidnapped along with his father, but managed to flee the killers.

On February 12, Mohammed went missing and the next day, a relative reported it to Couva police. On February 15, police announced that he had been found, but gave no further details.

Police said the father and son, from Dow Village in California, were in a Suzuki car in Chaguanas at around 2 pm on Tuesday. Mohammed was driving. As they neared the the Londgenville Old Road, a black B15 car drove in front of Mohammed's car, forcing him to stop.

Two gunmen got out and ordered the father and son to get into the back seat of their Suzuki. One gunman got into the driver’s seat and the other in the front passenger seat.

Police said the gunmen drove for some minutes to an unknown location, where they bound the hands and faces of the father and son. The gunmen bundled them into the trunk and continued driving.

When the car stoppd, the son managed to untie himself and alerted neaby residents who called the Las Lomas police post.

Police responded and found Mohammed’s body next to the car in Las Lomas. Mohammed had a wound to the right side of his head and blood was running from his nose.

No one has been arrested.

Central and Homicide Bureau Region III police are investigating.