Suspicious Debe death: jewellery missing from body

POLICE have not ruled out foul play in the death of Ramraj Ramnanan, 38, but are not treating it as a homicide until an autopsy is done later this week.

This will be done once the body is tested for covid19.

Ramnanan was found face-down in a pool of blood with a wound to his forehead, outside his home at Dianthus Drive, Boodoo Trace, Debe on Sunday night.

Valuable jewellery he usually wore was missing when a private security guard found his body.

Ramnanan was wearing only boxer shorts, giving rise to the theory that he may have been called out from his home to his death.

Speaking to the Newsday at his Thirst Quenchers Bar, Boodoo Trace, Debe on Tuesday, his uncle Jaikaran Ramnanan said a search had not turned up the missing items.

Jaikaran explained the police told the family there was no unusual wound (such as a gunshot wound) and only an autopsy would determine whether the death of his nephew was due to natural causes or whether he was murdered.

Ramnanan was recovering from recent surgery to his leg and suffered from diabetes,

Jaikaran said there was something strange about his nephew’s death and believes Ramnanan was killed during a robbery. He said he was not there when the incident occurred, but could only speculate.

“He was wearing only a pair of boxers, like if he just came out of the house, as if someone he knew called him out.”

If the theory that Ramnanan fell, hit his head and died at the entrance to his home is to be believed, he said, “How then did his gold chain, valued over $100,000, his cell phone and other valuables go missing?”

He said Ramnanan was wearing the thick gold chain, which had a pendant with the word SKY, his alias. He was also wearing other jewellery at the time of his death.

“I am not accepting that reason. If you fall and hit your head, the chain would not break off your neck and fall off. Your cell phone would not disappear.”

Ramnanan, a contractor, who rented out equipment, including a wrecker and tractor, always kept a money pouch around his waist, Jaikaran said. The pouch, he said, was found minus the money, his iID card, passport and other personal documents he carried with him at all times.

His home was also ransacked, Jaikaran said.

“I don’t know if the police ransacked the place while searching for clues, because they did not allow family members near the body or inside his house until after they completed their investigation.

“We went in after them and found everything thrown to the ground. I don’t think that is the way police should conduct their search, if indeed it was them who did that.”

Penal police are heading investigations.