Tag: Princes Town

Fire destroys home, business in Princes Town on Boxing Day

A fire destroyed the home and business of a Princes Town family on Boxing Day.

Homeowner Brian Chadee, 49, who lived with his wife and daughter at St Julien Road, said luckily no one was injured in the blaze.

Chadee said he inherited the house from his grandmother decades ago, where he resided with his 40-year-old wife and 20-year-old daughter.

Over the years, they refurbished the building, making it difficult to evaluate the cost of the financial loss.

Chadee said the woodwork shop at the back of the house, where he and his wife made furniture, was also destroyed. He said he had invested $200,000 in tools and materials in the workshop.

He said no one was at home when the fire erupted. He said the family was alerted after getting a call from a neighbour.

“One of my neighbours who lives way up on top of a hill saw the smoke and stuff, and then she called. I was just maybe about one or two minutes away from the location.”

Chadee said when he got home, he saw the workshop on fire and tried to control the blaze with a garden hose, but his efforts were stymied by insufficient water pressure.

Some of Brian Chadee’s ducks which managed to survive the blaze at his Princes Town home of Boxing Day. – Photo by Angelo Marcelle

He said neighbours joined in with a bucket brigade until the Fire Service arrived. By then, the fire had spread to the house.

The fire service was able to extinguish the blaze. He said now the family is waiting for the Fire Service to complete its investigations so they can try to pick up the pieces of their life.

“With friends and family and everyone around, we just need to kinda sort out and we’d work from that. In terms of work, I don’t think (we could) because we have no tools, we have nothing. We have no material, nothing. I’m not too sure how we’re working from that one.”

In the interim, he said they were staying with a close friend who lives nearby.

Although he said the friend has not imposed a time restriction on the family, he noted, “We could only stay so much.”

Chadee said the Princes Town Regional Corporation’s Disaster Management Unit has dropped off some supplies, like mattresses for them, and the councillor visited the family.

However, he said he was open to assistance from the public.

“Whatever they could provide for us, we would gladly accept.”

He can be reached at 464-1767.

Princes Town couple get 29 yrs for ex-fireman's murder

A PRINCES TOWN couple who killed the woman’s previous abusive boyfriend have been sentenced to a total of 29 years for their roles in the businessman’s murder.

Dwayne Baldeo and Renee Mohammed were sentenced by Justice Mauricia Joseph-Patrick in the San Fernando High Court for the October 28, 2020, murder of Christopher Hosein.

Hosein, 45, a businessman, who resigned from the Fire Service about ten years ago, lived at St James Street in Princes Town. There, he ran his business, Expert Fire and Safety Ltd. A farmer found his burnt body near his burnt Kia Sorento in a gravel road off the M1 Tasker Road in the Ste Madeleine police district. A yellow rope was tied around Hosein’s neck, his hands were bound, and his eyes were covered with duct tape.

Police investigations quickly focused on Baldeo and Mohammed after CCTV footage, witness accounts, and forensic evidence linked them to Hosein’s apartment. A white Toyota Fielder wagon driven by Baldeo was intercepted later that day, and items belonging to the deceased were recovered. A post-mortem examination determined that Hosein died from a combination of asphyxia, inhalation of soot, burns, and blunt force trauma to the head.

Baldeo and Mohammed both pleaded guilty to murder on the basis of felony murder under a plea agreement with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The agreement followed their indictment on June 18, 2024, for Hosein’s murder of Hosein. In sentencing the two, Justice Joseph-Patrick adopted a starting point of 33 years’ imprisonment for both. Baldeo benefited from a downward adjustment of three years for his conduct while incarcerated. A further one-third reduction was applied for his guilty plea, amounting to ten years. After also taking into account time already spent on remand of almost five years, Joseph-Patrick imposed a final sentence of a little over 15 years’ imprisonment.

Baldeo was represented by Rajiv Persad, SC, and Ajesh Summesar.

Mohammed’s starting point was also reduced by three years for remorse and positive conduct in prison. An additional one-year reduction was granted in light of her background, personal history, and immaturity at the time of the offence. She was 23 at the time. A further one-third reduction for her guilty plea, amounting to nine years and eight months,was applied. After credit for time spent in custody, Mohammed received a final sentence of slightly over 14 years’ imprisonment.

She was represented by attorneys Michelle Ali and Kameika Peters of the Public Defenders’ Department.

In an affidavit placed before the court, Mohammed described a deeply troubled personal history, including childhood sexual abuse and a turbulent, on-and-off relationship with Hosein. She said aspects of that relationship caused past trauma to resurface and contributed to her emotional state at the time.

Mohammed admitted she and Baldeo were also in a tumultuous relationship. He helped her and her mother financially and with errands. She said it was never her intuition to lead him on, but she now realises she was wrong for entertaining his advances. She detailed incidents in which she alleged he had previously assaulted her, leading to serious injuries and extended hospitalisation.

According to Mohammed, after her release from hospital she moved in with Hosein due to her physical condition and financial dependence. She said she also suffered abuse by Hosein while recovering from her injuries.

She claimed that she later disclosed her experiences to Baldeo, who offered to “rough up” Hosein. She admitted accepting that offer and helping to plan the encounter, but maintained that she did not intend or expect Hosein to die.

“I understand that I was a party in the act that caused the deceased to die,” Mohammed stated, “but I had no intention or knowledge that he was going to die.”

She described the past five years in custody as “a nightmare” and expressed remorse for her actions.

Jaisarie family continues tradition of giving

The Jaisarie family from Princes Town continued its tradition of community outreach on December 13, hosting its annual Christmas treat for children at their family’s residence in Churkoo Village.

The event brought together children from all walks of life for an afternoon of food, gifts, and festive cheer, as families gathered to celebrate the spirit of Christmas.

Tents were pitched in the yard and decorated in green and red, colours associated with the festive season, creating a bright, warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Attorney Sherlana Jaisarie, who spearheads the annual initiative, told Newsday that her family remains committed to giving back to the community.

While children benefited from the initiative, the parents were also catered to.

Attorney Sherlana Jaisarie, centre , with other “helpers” at the Christmas treat. – Photo courtesy Sherlana Jaisarie

“We treated 150 children to McDonald’s Happy Meals, toys, treat bags and hot on-the-spot doubles to the attending parents,” Jaisarie said.

“It is a treat that we do annually as a way of giving back and sharing what the Lord Jesus has blessed us with.”

The event also drew support from many members of the community, including local government representative Shawn Premchand, who shared his experience in a Facebook post praising the family’s efforts and community spirit.

The councillor said he was honoured to attend the annual treat hosted by Jaisarie and her family.

“It was truly a heartwarming experience meeting and greeting the wonderful families of the community and especially seeing the joy and excitement on the faces of the children,” Premchand said.

Toys for distribution at the Christmas treat. – Photo courtesy Sherlana Jaisarie

He, too, shared that the children were treated to food and refreshments, toys, and various giveaways throughout the afternoon, “all spreading the true spirit of Christmas.”

“A special thank you to Sherlana for your hard work, generosity, and unwavering dedication to our community and our children during this festive season. Your efforts truly made a difference,” Premchand added.

The Jaisarie family’s Christmas Treat has become an anticipated annual event in the community, aimed at spreading goodwill and bringing joy to children and families during the holiday season.

$340,000 stolen in Princes Town jewellery store robbery

BANDITS took over $340,000 in jewellery and gold following an armed robbery of a Princes Town jewellery shop on December 18.

The 31-year-old sales clerk told police she was at the Maingot Road, St Julien Road, jewellery store around 9 am when two armed men entered and announced a robbery. She said one of the men slapped her several times, then tied her hands and feet. The men went on to steal several pieces of jewellery, totalling just over $342,000. The stolen items include a gold bera valued at over $50,000, gold earrings, diamond rings and 80 grammes of scrap gold.

They then escaped in a black Nissan Tiida along the Naparima Mayaro Road. Officers of the Princes Town Criminal Investigations Department are investigating.

The sales clerk was taken to the Princes Town Health Facility.

Suspects held for illegal drugs in Princes Town

OFFICERS from the Princes Town CID held two men, both 23, on December 8 for having marijuana and cocaine during an anti-crime exercise in the Southern Division.

According to the police, the exercise took place between 10 am and 2 pm, and officers carried out comprehensive searches for illegal guns and narcotics in the district.

Acting on a tip-off, the officers arrested two suspects, from Princes Town and California, for having the illegal drugs.

Snr Supt Simon, Supt Bertie, W/Supt Bridglal, ASP Chulhan and Insp Wilkinson co-ordinated the exercise.

Meanwhile, in the Central Division, officers of the Longdenville Police Post recovered a loaded gun during an exercise between 9 pm and 12 midnight on December 8.

The police said officers went to Cemetery Street, where they saw a man toss an object into the bushes and run off.

They searched the area and found a pistol loaded with a magazine containing one round of ammunition.

Snr Supt Bhagwandeen, Supt Glodon and ASP Harrylal co-ordinated, which Insp Francis led.

Renewed focus for Princes Town carnival

THE Carnival Roots and Cultural Committee of Princes Town launched Carnival 2026 on November 28.

The organisation of carnival in that community has changed hands several times.

Chairman of the committee Alesia Dyer-Stoute said that they have a renewed objective to uphold the values of the artform in her address at the Triangle (promenade).

Dyer-Stoute said: “Our group is not only focused on Carnival… it is a cultural group, so we are working together to bring the community together for all events throughout the year.”

Moko jumbies were among the carnival characters on show during the launch of Princes Town Carnival, organised by the Carnival Roots and Culture Committee on November 28. – Photo by Innis Francis

Dyer-Stoute called on all stakeholders to support culture and the artform through registration and patriotism with the group.

She said the committee plans to host several events, including a J’Ouvert, calypso tents, and pretty mas on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

Moko jumbies and red devils were on hand to entertain guests at the launch.

Man, son in court for attempted murder

A 63-year-old man and his son, who allegedly beat and stabbed a man during an altercation last month in Borde Narve Village, Princes Town, faced a master in the High Court on November 20, jointly charged with attempted murder.

The accused men, Jameel Ali and his son Shameel Ali, 31, of Princes Town, faced Master Kimitria Gray in the South Criminal Court and were each granted surety bail in the sum of $70,000.

Attorney Arron Levi Daniel Smith, of Sigma Law Chambers, represented the father and son.

Smith told the court that the accused father received injuries in the alleged incident and sought medical care.

It is alleged that on October 4, they beat and stabbed a 47-year-old man from Borde Narve Village outside a bar.

It is alleged that the self-employed contractor was standing near his home when a car stopped alongside him. Two men got out the vehicle, and an argument ensued during which the alleged victim was beaten and stabbed.

As conditions of bail, the accused men must remain at least 200 metres from the virtual complainant and report to the Princes Town police station on Saturdays between 6 am and 6 pm.

The case was adjourned to September 9, 2026.

Princes Town men win appeal against jail terms for disorderly conduct, obscene language

Two Princes Town men who were each sentenced to 14 days’ simple imprisonment for disorderly behaviour and using obscene language have successfully appealed their sentences.

The Court of Appeal, comprising Justices of Appeal Charmaine Pemberton and Carla Browne-Antoine, on October 28, allowed the appeals of Eric Phillip, and Paul Phillip, ruling that the jail terms imposed by the magistrate were excessive.

Both men had pleaded guilty before Magistrate Lisa Singh-Phillip to the offences, which arose from a November 27, 2024 incident at Tarouba Link Road, San Fernando. The men were arrested following a verbal altercation with police officers who were at the scene of a family member’s vehicle accident.

Their relative, who also faced charges, pleaded not guilty and his matter remains before the magistrates’ court.

At the initial hearing, the men’s attorneys pleaded for leniency, noting that both Eric and Paul Phillip were first-time offenders of good character who had expressed remorse.

Despite this, the magistrate sentenced each man to 14 days’ simple imprisonment for each offence, to run concurrently. The offences carry maximum penalties of $200 fines or imprisonment for up to 30 and 60 days, respectively.

On appeal, the men’s legal team of Aaron Mahabir, Yves Jacques Nicholson and Mathias Sylvester, argued that the custodial sentences were unduly severe and disproportionate to the nature of the offences.

The Court of Appeal agreed, holding that while the conduct was improper, it did not warrant a custodial penalty. The panel said the magistrate ought to have exercised the discretion available under section 149(2)(a) of the Summary Courts Act, Chapter 4:20, which allows the appellate court to substitute a sentence it considers appropriate.

The Appeal Court quashed the prison sentences and instead imposed fines of $200 on each charge, with a default term of seven days’ simple imprisonment.

At the appeal, the attorneys highlighted the dated nature of laws on obscene language, arguing that they reflect “outdated and oppressive moral standards” rooted in colonial history.

“These laws were designed to control and suppress the behaviour of colonised populations using moralistic criteria that ignored local cultural norms and expressions,” the appeal application said, adding that in a modern, independent society, such offences appear “disconnected from principles of free expression and personal autonomy.”

The State was represented by Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal.

7 arrested in South Division

SEVEN people were arrested for a range of offences as officers of the Southern Division conducted anti-crime and road policing exercises over the weekend.

A release from the police service said the operations were executed by units from the Princes Town, Marabella, and Barrackpore police stations, aimed at suppressing violent crime, targeting known drug blocks, enhancing road safety, and maintaining public order.

The seven included arrests for possession of cocaine, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, malicious damage, and possession of apparatus. A 21-year-old man was held for possession of cocaine and resisting arrest by PC Saunders, while a woman, 20, of Fairfield Estate, Princes Town, was held for possession of cocaine.

A 63-year-old man of Garth Road, Princes Town, was held for possession of cocaine and apparatus and a 40-year-old man of Contention Road, Indian Walk, for disorderly behaviour

and resisting arrest, while a 58-year-old man, of Marabella was held with cocaine. A 44-year-old man of Battoo Avenue, Marabella, was arrested for malicious damage and also held with cocaine was a 64-year-old man of Wilson Road, Penal.

Man freed of 2017 shooting in Princes Town

A jury on October 9, returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on all counts against a man accused of a 2017 shooting in Princes Town. The trial, presided over by Justice Nalini Singh, concluded after the jury deliberated for about an hour.

Jeremiah Joshua was before the court at the O’Meara Judicial Centre charged with shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

According to the prosecution, he visited the home of his children’s mother at 8.30 pm on May 29, 2017, at #203 Torrib Trace, New Grant, where an argument occurred. He allegedly threatened to return and kill the woman.

Later that night, around 11.30 pm, he reportedly returned, forced open the door, and fired two shots at the woman’s brother with a grey and black handgun before fleeing.

Investigators found two spent shells in the living room and a projectile in a bedroom. However, the items were not sent to forensic analysis until 2019, and no scientific report was ever produced. No firearm was recovered.

During cross-examination, the defence, led by attorney Roshan Tota-Maharaj, challenged the absence of forensic evidence, lack of gunshot residue testing, no fingerprint analysis, and the failure to retrieve CCTV footage or interview additional witnesses.

He also raised doubts about the alleged victim’s credibility, noting inconsistencies in her testimony on the sequence of events and his client’s position during the alleged shooting.

An alibi witness testified that Joshua was at a family gathering that night for his parents’ memorial and remained there until the next day. After the judge’s summation, the jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on all charges, clearing the accused of wrongdoing. Maria Lyons-Edwards, Cassie Bisram, and Afeisha Williams prosecuted.

Princes Town man shot outside bar

A Princes Town man was shot while liming outside a bar early Sunday morning.

Police said the 36-year-old of Mandingo Road, Indian Walk, Princes Town was liming on the road outside a bar around 3.30 am when he was approached by a man of fair complexion, wearing a white jersey and armed with a firearm.

The masked gunman then fired a shot at him before running off. The victim told police he began to feel a burning sensation in his groin.

The victim was taken to the Princes Town Health Facility by an unknown man, where he was attended to before being transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital. He was listed in stable condition.

Police are continuing investigations.

Grieving policeman dies months after wife’s passing

A police corporal who was still mourning the recent death of his wife was found unresponsive at his home in Princes Town on the morning of September 25.

Cpl Joel “Ritchie” Richardson, 47, of the Southern Division Task Force, was later confirmed dead. Police said foul play is not suspected.

Richardson, a father of three, married Natasha Richardson on November 2023.

In July this year, she died after suffering a stroke.

One of the policeman’s brothers confirmed his passing on September 26, saying he received a call around 9 am on September 25.

Relatives said Richardson had been battling high blood pressure and hypertension, and had recently been experiencing swollen feet.

Richardson had served in the police service for more than 20 years.

He also has two brothers in the service.

News of his passing prompted an outpouring of condolences from his colleagues.

An autopsy is expected to be done at the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital.

His body is expected to be laid to rest alongside his wife at the Navet Cemetery in Princes Town.

Princes Town man fined for cursing, brandishing cutlass

A man who loudly cursed at a policewoman who intervened in a heated argument he was having with another person, has been fined after appearing before a Princes Town magistrate.

Krishna Ramlal pleaded guilty on September 23 in the Princes Town Second Court to charges of using obscene language and possession of a cutlass.

The magistrate fined him $150 for using obscene language, to be paid within seven days, or in default, he will serve ten days simple imprisonment.

Ramlal of Watson Avenue in Princes Town, was also fined $1,350 for possession of the weapon, with three months given to pay. If he fails to do so, he will serve 33 months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

He was charged by WPC Bridgemohan-De Leon of the Princes Town Municipal Police Station.

The court heard that on September 22, WPC Bridgemohan-De Leon was on patrol in the district when she saw Ramlal brandishing a cutlass during a heated argument.

She seized the cutlass and warned him about the offence of having a weapon with intent to commit an arrestable offence.

He replied, “Officer, I am not taking that. They slap me. I am going to f–king kill them!”

WPC Bridgemohan-De Leon warned him to stop using obscene language, but he continued, and said he did not care.

She then arrested and later charged him with both offences.

In court, Ramlal apologised to WPC Bridgemohan-De Leon for using obscene language.

Princes Town man, 28, on murder charge

A 28-year-old man from Princes Town is expected to face a master in the High Court on September 5, charged with the murder of a fellow villager.

Labourer Felix McLean, of Railway Road, is alleged to have stabbed Sherwin Balkaran, 40, of Naparima Mayaro Road, during an attack near the home of Balkaran’s parents.

Balkaran’s body was found on Railway Road around 5.30 am on August 24.

Reports are Balkaran was speaking with two men near a shop when an argument broke out, during which he was stabbed with a knife. He collapsed nearby and died at the scene.

Cpl Griffith of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three, laid the charges after receiving instructions from acting Director of Public Prosecutions Sabrina Jaglal on September 4.

Supt Persad, together with ASP Maharaj and Sgt Bridgemohan, all of the Homicide Bureau, led the investigations.

The accused is expected to appear in the South B Court.

Princes Town woman, 20, dies in accident

A 20-year-old Princes Town woman is the country’s latest road fatality after she lost her life in an early-morning accident along the M1 Tasker Road, Princes Town, on September 4.

Naomi Ramnarine of Libertville, Rio Claro, was one of two passengers of a blue Nissan Frontier driven by her boyfriend.

She was in the front passenger seat while her boyfriend’s stepmother was seated in the back. The pickup collided with another car.

Mourning the loss of their only daughter, Ramnarine’s parents, Parbudial and Naseem, were at the scene of the accident on September 4 as the pickup was being taken away by a wrecker.

They said she was on the way to the airport to pick up a relative.

Naseem said Ramnarine’s boyfriend called shortly before 5 am, informing them they were involved in an accident with another driver.

“I say ‘serious thing?’ He said, ‘Yes, Naomi can’t breathe.’ With that, I couldn’t talk. I give my husband the phone.”

She recalled spending the last few hours with Ramnarine before she left for the airport, saying they spent the night making jokes and laughing.

Parbudial said his daughter worked at a Chinese restaurant, hoping to save enough money to one day get a place of her own and get married.

“That’s my only daughter,” he said as he and his wife broke into tears.

“God only gave me two daughters. One died with heart, and this one now. She was a very loving child.”

Newsday understands Ramnarine’s boyfriend, his stepmother and the driver of the other vehicle were taken for medical treatment.

Ramnarine is the second young woman to lose her life in a road accident this week.

On September 3, Lysanne Julien, 19, was killed when the Honda Vezel she was commuting in got into an accident in Port of Spain with a PTSC bus around 4 am.

The impact caused the Vezel to lose control, hit a traffic light and utility pole, and flip onto its side before landing on the pavement.

Julien, the three other passengers and driver were taken to hospital. She was pronounced dead around 5 am.

Mayaro man fatally stabbed in Princes Town

A Mayaro man was fatally stabbed following an early-morning argument with another man in Princes Town on August 23.

The deceased has been identified as 40-year-old Sherwin Balkaran.

Reports say around 5.30 am on August 24, Balkaran was in the company of two other men at the junction of Naparima Mayaro Road and Tramline Road, near Paul McLean’s shop, when an argument broke out between him and one of the men.

During the altercation, the suspect reportedly stabbed Balkaran in the neck before both men fled the scene. Passersby who noticed Balkaran bleeding stopped to check on him. At that point, he was still alive.

Around 5.40 am, a woman observed a man lying face down in a pool of blood on Railway Road, Princes Town, just outside her home. She contacted the Princes Town Police Station.

On arrival, officers found Balkaran’s lifeless body slumped in a crouched position on the roadway, with his head resting on the ground. He was shirtless, wearing only black sweatpants and green boxers, and bore a visible wound to his neck.

The District Medical Officer visited the scene and pronounced Balkaran dead. Officers attached to the Homicide Bureau Region III also responded, photographed and processed the scene, and collected both wet and dry blood swabs as part of their investigation.

Police are continuing its search for the suspect.

Princes Town pensioner raped during home invasion

A Princes Town pensioner was raped during a home invasion on August 23, after she awoke at around 1.30 am and found a Spanish-speaking man in her house armed with a knife.

The woman, a 65-year-old retired principal, told police she went to bed around 9 pm on August 22, but was awakened by a noise and saw a man standing in her bedroom.

The suspect walked toward the woman and started touching her body before forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him.

When he was done, he escaped through a door on the eastern side of the home.

The victim then checked and saw the rest of her home was ransacked, and noticed several signs of forced entry into her home.

A metal burglar-proof gate had been bent, and the glass door at the eastern side of her house had been left open.

She then tried to find her cellphone to call the police but realised it was missing along with other items.

She used land line to call the police and Princes Town CID officers responded quickly.

After interviewing the victim, they searched the area for the suspect but were unable to find him.

The woman was taken to the Princes Town Health Facility, where doctors found cuts and bruises consistent with assault.

Authorities continue to follow up on leads as they work to identify the suspect and bring closure to the case.

Still suffering for proper water supply

THE EDITOR: I have been residing at my present location since August 1963. I have seen PNM, UNC, NAR in government.

I filled pig tail buckets and buckets of water. Do I expect an improved water supply? Well maybe for a few days.

Caroni’s nearby sugar factory can no longer be the whipping boy.

WASA’s problem is distribution, not generation. Too many leaking pipes. X gallons are pumped. X minus A gallons are received.

The solution: simply replace all old pipes that have been there since Princes Town was guava patch.

I am not holding my breath for a continuous improved supply. I have heard it all before.

The more certain things change, the more other things remain constant.

AV RAMPERSAD

Princes Town

15 Venezuelans held in Princes Town for illegal entry

FIFTEEN Venezuelan nationals, 11 men and four women, were detained for illegal entry during a co-ordinated multi-agency operation early on August 21 in Princes Town.

The exercise, which ran from 4 am to 8 am, was carried out by officers from the Immigration Investigations Unit South, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Guard and Emergency Branch, Inter-Agency Task Force and the K9 Unit.

The illegal immigrants were found at two separate locations in Cedar Hill Village.

Officers detained 11 at an apartment on Solomon Street and another four at a residence on Estate Road.

Snr Supt Maharaj, Supt Pariman, ASP Bisnath and Insp Phillip co-ordinated the intelligence-led operation.

Supt Pariman also led together with Sgt Katerson and Cpl Richardson.

The detained individuals were transported to the San Fernando and Gasparillo Police Stations, where they remain in custody pending further investigations.

Police confirmed that the operation was incident-free.

PTSC driver hailed as hero after fatal crash

ALTHOUGH the family of accident victim Munsaf Khan, 49, was hoping to have his funeral on August 20, the autopsy was not done in time to make that happen.

Instead, the funeral is now set for on August 21 at the ASJA Masjid in Avocat.

Khan’s nephew, Asaad Baksh, told Newsday by phone that the janazah (funeral) is set for 3 pm under Muslim rights.

Baksh also said the autopsy done on August 20 at the Forensic Science Centre in St James confirmed that his uncle died due to multiple injuries consistent with an accident.

“Two of the passengers who were in the bus visited us at the family’s home today. They took time out of their schedules to come and tell us technically that he saved them from death,” the nephew said.

Khan was unmarried and had no children.

At 7.42 pm on August 19, Khan’s employer, Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC), extended condolences to Khan’s family via Facebook.

“May his soul rest in peace, and may his memory remain a source of inspiration to us all,” the post read.

PTSC added that Khan had served faithfully as a driver/conductor at the San Fernando depot from February 12, 2009, until his death, showing unwavering dedication throughout his years of service.

Khan, along with a passenger, Roxanne Phillip, 39, of Princes Town, died on August 19 in a collision along the Solomon Hochoy Highway in Freeport.

Phillip of Sixth Company Road worked as a SWAT security officer and was returning home from her shift at the Port of Spain General Hospital when the tragedy happened.

She had moved into her apartment about six months ago and was said to be from the Port of Spain area.

The police said a 27-year-old man from Cunupia was driving a flatbed truck and stopped along the shoulder of the southbound lane.

On rejoining the traffic on the highway, the back tray of the truck collided with the Higer Deluxe Coach bus driven by Khan.

Fire and police officers from the Central Division responded. The other passengers were evacuated and taken to the hospital.

On the afternoon of August 20, police said Phillip’s autopsy was not done yet, and the truck driver was treated and discharged from the hospital.

Sgt Stoute is leading the investigation.