Balram ‘Balo’ Maharaj was not war veteran. He did not serve in the Gulf War. He served in the US army for seven months and 12 days before he went missing. When he returned to the job, he got an “Undesirable Discharge” from the US army. Maharaj, who went to the US as Alladin Barlow John, was illegal in the US for a long time. But somehow, he ended up with US citizenship and an unsigned passport. He ran afoul of the law in New York, and got a US $4.5 million settlement for a fall. When Maharaj was kidnapped from an Aranguez bar on April 6, 2005 and when his remains were recovered on January 8, 2006, the United States showed great interest in this matter. Assisting the local police, were officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

Word on the ground was that he was somewhat involved with the FBI, and that explains how he came into possession of an unsigned US passport, and the great interest shown by the FBI when he went missing. Although several people were charged with his murder, the US wanted them for hostage-taking resulting in death. The charges in Trinidad were dropped, and 12 people were extradited to Washington, DC, to face trial. It is an offence in the US when a citizen of that country is taken hostage and eventually killed, even if the offence is committed in another country. Five of the Trinidadians decided to turn prosecution witnesses and enter a plea deal in the US for a “lighter” sentence. Seven went to trial and on July 31, were found guilty and will receive their sentences on February 12, 2010.

The man Balram ‘Balo’ Maharaj?

Maharaj was born on October 1, 1943, as Alladin Barlow John. By his own admission to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Maharaj said he entered the US for the first time on December 2, 1967, without a visa. He was expected to transit via the US to Canada. He landed in New York and was given a ten-day stay. He went to Canada and returned to the US four days later, again without a visa. This time, he was allowed a four-day stay. He did not leave for Trinidad, opting to stay with a Trinidadian friend in Brooklyn. As an illegal immigrant, Maharaj joined the US Army on June 26, 1968. While in the US army, Maharaj took leave and returned to Trinidad to visit his family. He re-entered the US on January 11, 1969, showing his military identification card.

He deserted the US army after just seven months and 12 days of service and took up a new profession as an electrician, working in New York City. On October 2, 1974, Maharaj received an “Undesirable Discharge” from the Armed Forces of the USA. His records showed he did not receive any recommendations, nor did he serve in a combat area. He received a discharge under other, than honourable conditions and he was not a disabled veteran. On April 7, 1976, the immigration services issued an order to Maharaj to show cause why he should not be deported to Trinidad. They accused him of overstaying his visit to the US. Maharaj ran afoul of the law in New York. He appeared before the State of New York County of Westchester Court, Village of Pelham Manor, charged with the offences of grand larceny on September 18, 1984. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of petty larceny and was fined $688 and given three years’ probation.

Maharaj was married for 12 years to Veena Dass Bissoon, and had two daughters and they lived in Mount Vernon, New York. During his marriage, Maharaj had six surgeries, and according to court documents, he attempted suicide after one of them. He had various ailments, including undergoing four surgeries to his lower back and spine, and had to be constantly taking medication. But he kept going back and forth to Trinidad. During one of his visits to Trinidad, he met Doreen Alexander and had a common-law relationship with her. During that union, a son was born on April 28, 2000. Maharaj applied to the US Embassy in Port-of-Spain for a visa for Alexander to visit the US, but this was turned down. He took the child to the US on February 15, 2001, but was forced to return him on an order of a US Court, after Alexander insisted that she wanted her son back.

While in the US, Maharaj invested in several properties. He pointed out that in 1998, he fell through a floor while working, and sued the company which had hired him. He received a settlement of US$4.5 million. At the time of his death, Maharaj received disability money from the Federal Government, he owned a real estate company; and he received US$4,000 monthly from four apartments he owned. He had no mortgages to the properties he owned.

Tomorrow: Jason Percival, star witness

LEGAL CHALLENGE

A major issue at the trial in Washington, DC, was whether Maharaj was really a US citizen. The seven defendants challenged this, saying Maharaj made questionable representations to the US Immigration department, with the result that he came into possession of an unsigned passport.
The defendants filed motions in the civil and criminal jurisdictions. Judge John Bates is still to rule on the criminal motion, and if he rules against it, the defendants will appeal. That ruling could come before the sentencing of the seven men. Maharaj who was known as Alladin John changed his name, saying Balram Maharaj was suitable as he wanted to become a pundit. His unsigned passport was entered into evidence at the trial in Washington and a passport expert from the US Immigration department could not provide the court with an explanation as to its origin, or the circumstances under which such a document could have been issued.