Media personnel were asked to leave the funeral of murder victim Melissa Mohammed-Ramkissoon yesterday, in order to allow her family the chance to grieve in peace.
Mohammed-Ramkissoon’s service was held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Cedar Hill, Claxton Bay, about five minutes from where she lived.
When the T&T Guardian arrived at the church yesterday, a relative asked for all cameras and recording devices to be stashed away, but added that it was not a problem for the media to “stick around” for the service’s proceedings.
However, at about 2.20 pm an aunt told the T&T Guardian that the family had asked for utmost privacy and that was when she asked media to leave the compound.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian outside the church, Mohammed-Ramkissoon’s uncle, who did not give his name, said he thought the investigating officers should have at least allowed her close male relative the chance to pay his last respects.
“I was a bit disappointed that I did not see the police bring him ,but they must know why anyway and then too, maybe her immediate family did not request his presence,” the uncle said.
Up to late yesterday, both relatives who witnessed her murder were still in police custody as investigations continued.
On Tuesday night, Mohammed-Ramkissoon was fatally shot in the head while in a car with two relatives. Her body was driven to the Chaguanas Police Station by a close male relative at about 8 pm. He initially told police he was driving along Waterloo Road in Carapichaima when someone opened fire on his vehicle.
But police said when they pressed further he told them there was an argument between them in the car when he heard a gunshot and later saw Mohammed-Ramkissoon bleeding from the head and slumped lifeless in the front passenger seat. The man said the other male occupant then jumped out the car and ran away.
However, when Mohammed-Ramkissoon’s other relative surrendered to the police on Wednesday afternoon at the Freeport Police Station, he told police it was the driver who allegedly shot Mohammed-Ramkissoon in the head.
A team of officers went to the home of both men and conducted additional interviews and searches to add to their case file. Investigations are continuing.
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