Hunters group joins search for Arima man feared abducted

The Hunters Search and Rescue Team have joined in the search for an Arima man who was reportedly abducted from his Chaguaramas workplace on Thursday.

Police said on Saturday they have no leads on the disappearance of 33-year-old Zephaniah Harripaul who they believe was taken by a group of men.

Harripaul, of O'Meara, Arima, works as a shift supervisor at Tucker Energy at Western Main Road in Chaguaramas.

According to police reports, around 2.15 am on Thursday, his grey Hyundai Tuscon, driven by an unknown person, was seen leaving the compound and a car driving closely behind.

But an alarm from Harripaul’s SUV went off, alerting security. The driver got out of Harripaul's vehicle and got in the car which sped off.

Carenage police were contacted and officers searched he compound without luck, leading them to believe he was abducted. They also believe he might have been in the getaway car. The Anti Kidnapping Unit was also informed.

On Saturday, a close relative said he was not pleased with a newspaper (not Newsday) report on the issue.

Saying the disappearance has been traumatic for himself and other relatives, he decided not to speak with any media house again on it.

The relative said: "This is something serious and I do not appreciate the media trying to make it sound hot and spicy. I have made a personal decision and I am telling my family not to speak to the media any more. Thanks for understanding."

But on Friday a relative told Newsday: "I want to plead to those who have him and to the public, do unto others what you will want others to do to you or your family."

That relative recalled that Harripaul’s co-workers told the family that he went to get a flashlight on Thursday morning before leaving the compound.

That was the last time they saw or heard from him.

On Friday, Newsday was told that some time ago Harripaul was leaving work when a driver appeared to have deliberately hit his SUV and waited for him to stop.

But he did not stop and told a few people about that incident. He did not report it to police either.

Newsday learnt that it was only after Thursday’s disappearance, more people were told about the previous incident.

Anyone with information on Harripaul’s whereabouts can call the Carenage police at 637-3123 or the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at 623-6793. People can also call the police at 999, 555, 911, or Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS (8477) or report it via the TTPS App.