Money changer murder suspect calls mother
“I am innocent; I am coming home”
Despite telling his mother that he is innocent and would turn himself in, the 19-year-old suspect in the murder of money-changer Mohamed Fizal Mahmood Baksh was still at large yesterday.
Mohamed Fizal Mahmood Baksh
The prime suspect in Baksh’s murder is Phileman Boodhoo, also called Kevin Boodoo, who has not been seen since Monday, the same day that the 56-year-old money-changer was lured to his death. The suspect has been in phone contact with relatives.Shamyela Boodhoo, his mother, told Kaieteur News that her son contacted her from an unknown number around 08.00 hrs yesterday.“He said ‘Hi Mom, I innocent (and) I coming,’ and I say, ‘Where are you?’ and the phone cut off.” Mrs. Boodhoo said that she informed the police about the call.
“If he calls again I would say ‘surrender to the police or come home and we would take you to the station’.Mrs. Boodhoo revealed that she had known the victim for many years.“I don’t know if (her son) do it but if he do it, let the law deal with him. That uncle (the slain money-changer) was a good man.”Mrs. Boodhoo confirmed that police had detained her and two other relatives on Christmas Eve, but eventually released them after talking statements.
Mohamed Fizal Mahmood Baksh’s battered body was found around 07:00hrs on Thursday in a bushy section of the No. 63 Village, Corentyne, foreshore, three days after he was reported missing.
He was fully clothed, and the back of his skull had been fractured in two places. There was also a wound on one of his legs. Police found his wristwatch and phone at the scene.The corpse was beginning to decompose, and this indicated that Baksh, 56, known as ‘Sugar Cake,’ had been dead for at least 48 hrs.He is believed to have been clubbed to death with a piece of wood, which detectives found nearby.
A post mortem by Pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan indicated that the cause of death was haemorrhage and shock, due to a fractured skull.
The slain man’s daughter, Safina Baksh, told Kaieteur News that a woman found her father’s body while going to the area to graze a horse. The woman then contacted a relative of her father, who then informed other family members.Ms. Baksh, who was among relatives who saw the body, said that her father appeared to have been badly beaten.Detectives are said to be going through the slain man’s phone, particularly in the wake of reports that the prime suspect had called Baksh a few hours before Baksh disappeared.
Suspect: Phileman Boodhoo, called “Kevin’
The suspect, identified as Phileman Boodhoo, also called Kevin Boodhoo, 19, resides at Number 63 Village, Corentyne, two villages away from where the body was found. He remains at large.
Investigators are working on the theory that the killer lured Baksh to his death by telling the 56-year-old money-changer that two elderly individuals needed to change some foreign currency.Baksh was reportedly last seen alive heading to the suspect’s home. Kaieteur News understands that the victim may have had at least $1M in his possession when he left home.
Seeta Boodhoo, an aunt of the suspect, said that he had contacted her by phone on Wednesday afternoon. She said she asked him about a bank loan that he had taken in October. She said that the nephew told her, “Don’t stress, the loan would pay,” before terminating the call.
The aunt said that she believes that her nephew may be in Suriname.
“He must face the law; let them hold him until he could prove he is not guilty.”
Mohamed Baksh was last seen alive around 08:00 hrs on Monday. He reportedly left home to meet with the suspect, who had informed him that there were two elderly people who wanted to change some foreign currency. A taxi driver confirmed that Baksh was seen walking into the street where ‘Kevin’ lived.Seeta Boodhoo, the man’s aunt, said that ‘Kevin’ moved in with her in June after his father passed away. She said that he had been selling household items in her yard to financially support himself.She said that she last saw him around noon last Monday, which was the same day that Baksh was last seen alive.
