The trial surrounding a Trinidadian man who had allegedly kidnap his own self and then demanded a ransom from his parents for his own self, to free his own self, is coming to an end; – but not without a fight from his lawyers.

The defence for the Trinidadian national 33-year-old Sawak Maraj is contending that the accused self-kidnapper had no case to answer.

Arguing that the police had conducted an unlawful investigation, Senior Counsel Benard Desantos has implored the court to consider dismissing the case.
S.C DeSantos is contending that attempts to solicit evidence about the co-conspirators in the allegedly ‘staged kidnapping’ which occurred in Guyana, has proved futile. He informed Magistrate Fabayo Azore that on one occasion, the police had allegedly told him that the men could not be located and as such the evidence which he sought could not be made available.

Mr Desantos further accused investigators of conducting an unlawful investigation, while claiming that the investigation had begun long before Maraj was arrested. He further questioned the basis for his client’s arrest, even though the two other conspirators could not be located by the authorities.

However, the prosecution has contended that they are not ready to make a final submission in the case and thus requested more time. Magistrate Azore then adjourned the matter to Friday 30 November, at which time the prosecution is expected to make its final submission.

Maraj came to fame when a photo with a photo with a man holding a cutlass to his neck found its way on to social media, with the claim that he was kidnapped.

Back in Trinidad, the engineer’s parents had received a phone call from a man who told them that their son was being held hostage in Guyana and a ransom of TT $700,000 had to be paid to an account in Colombia, in order to guarantee his release.

The parents were sent the very photograph showing a cutlass braced against the neck of their son, who was only clad in his boxers and a pair of socks.

However, police ranks in Guyana using intelligence and other information, swooped down at a resort where they found a happy Maraj eating fry chicken and drinking beers.

As a result, they surmise that the kidnapping was staged and that Maraj was never in danger or was kidnapped by any other person(s) as was being claimed.

Police had said back then, that it was not the first time that the Trinidadian national had staged his own kidnapping. According to the lawmen, prior to his alleged fake kidnapping in Guyana, he was previously embroiled in the same thing in Trinidad and Tobago in 2001.

For more on this story go to: https://www.guyanaguardian.com/remember-the-trini-man-who-had-kidnapped-himself/