Wife in hospital under police watch

The pregnant wife of murdered man Raphael Piggott has been hospitalised under police guard.
The woman, Evanese King, who was taken into custody on Monday, has been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, under police guard.

The woman is said to be five months pregnant and Stabroek News understands that she was admitted to the hospital’s maternity ward on Tuesday night. When this newspaper saw her yesterday afternoon, she appeared to be well and many relatives and friends surrounded her bedside.

King was with Piggott in his car when he was fatally shot by a lone gunman in Cummings Lodge on Saturday afternoon. Vincent Da Costa, a friend who was also with Piggott at the time of the execution, has also been taken into custody by police.

The two were held after police found eight kilogrammes of cocaine in the fuel tank of Piggott’s car during a search.

A senior police officer said yesterday that the two are still in custody as investigations into the man’s death and the discoveries continue.

King told Stabroek News on Sunday that Piggott was shot while dropping off Da Costa, at his Sixth Street, Cummings Lodge home around 5.15 pm Saturday. She said he was shot twice by a gunman, who walked up to the car and fired.

Police initially found US$14,041 and 1,100 euros in the vehicle at the scene of the murder and later revealed that eight packets of cocaine weighing eight kilogrammes were found concealed in the fuel tank of the vehicle, which had been adjusted.

However the man’s relatives have said that they do not believe he was involved in anything illegal, despite the discovery by police.

They said he walked and sold clothing and spare parts and also worked his car as a taxi.