Ex-con Michael 'Rat' Maharaj on extortion charges

Michael “Rat” Maharaj, one of nine men released in 2024 for the 1997 murder of Thakoor Boodram, brother of drug lord Dole Chadee, is now in jail again facing six charges of extortion, after being arrested about a week ago.

Maharaj was charged jointly with his brother Denish, on one charge of demanding money with menace and simple robbery. He was charged separately with five counts of demanding money with menace and simple robbery.

The brothers were released on bail for the single charge when they went before Master Indira Chinebas at the Tunapuna Masters Court North A on Monday. Michael was released on $350,000 bail with surety, reporting conditions and restrictions while Denish was granted $300,000 bail with surety, reporting conditions and restrictions.

However, Chinebas denied Michael bail for the other five counts of extortion and ordered him remanded into custody. The matter was adjourned to February 14, to determine bail for those charges.

Maharaj was one of nine men released from prison after being convicted of the murder of Boodram, a pig farmer who was kidnapped on December 20, 1997. His captors demanded a ransom, but ten days later, his head was found in a whisky box at the Caroni cremation site. The rest of his body has never been found.

The nine were first sentenced to death which was later commuted to life imprisonment. In February 2023, the Privy Council allowed their appeals against the life sentences and quashed it.

In 2024, during a re-sentencing, they were each credited for the time spent in custody and given a one-third remission for breaches to their constitutional rights after the prison authorities failed to hold four-year reviews.

According to prison rules, authorities must do regular four-yearly reviews on prisoners serving life sentences to consider the possibility of their release.