(Trinidad Express) An argument over an Orchard fruit drink at a mini-mart in Tunapuna has led to the shooting death of 47-year-old Lester “Bellyman” Sookhai on Tuesday.
At about 10.30 a.m. yesterday, Sookhai was at a shop which he operated in front of his home with his 18-year-old daughter, when a man known to them entered the premises.
Police were told the man picked up the drink from the refrigerator, then began arguing with the teenager, prompting Sookhai to intervene on behalf of his daughter.
However, this was when the assailant pulled out a firearm and shot the father of two several times.
He then fled the scene.
Sookhai died on the scene.
The police were notified and a team of officers led by Snr Sup David, including Insp Boodoo, Sgt Denoon, and Sgt Ammon, visited the scene.
At the scene of the crime, Sookhai’s mother, Marjorie, said she was trying to be strong for her grandchildren. However, the loss of her son was hitting her very hard.
“I don’t know how to hold on, but I have to. I lost my husband seven months ago to a massive heart attack, and now I’ve lost my son. And he’s the only one (of four) who lives here as the others living abroad, so he was always here for me”.
“And worse yet, this happen in full view of his oldest daughter. So it hit this family hard. And I know we are all taking it on hard. Because it’s not like he was in anything or deserve this. The most anyone can say against him was that he would argue with you if you were being disrespectful in his shop because his daughters were usually around helping” she said.
“But that was it. It wasn’t even to the point of cursing and fighting, he would just be loud. So this has us all shocked,” Marjorie Sookhai said.
