Bakr’s family buys back properties

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – The family of Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Imam Yasin Abu Bakr was able to buy back two of ten properties which the state had seized and publicly auctioned.Indrani Maharaj-Abu Bakr, one of the Imam’s four wives, and his son, Ayinde, successfully bid on two properties which were on the auction block on Tuesday.Auctioneer Peter Soon supervised the auction held inside the auditorium at City Hall, Port-of-Spain.Soon said there was no difficulty with Abu Bakr’s family repurchasing the properties, since, according to the terms of the sale, “parties are at liberty to bid”.“If Mr Bakr himself wanted to bid on a property we would have accepted his bid. So if it is okay for him, then it must be okay for his family,” Soon said after the auction.Ten properties owned by Abu Bakr and his second-in-command Kala Aki Bua were auctioned on Tuesday as the state attempted to recover debt owed to it.“We anticipated a better turnout. I believe if there were more people present the competition would have pushed the prices higher,” Soon said of the procedure.Uniformed police officers were stationed at the entrance of City Hall and inside the auditorium.There were 62 registered bidders at the auction, according to registration forms.Abu Bakr and a group of Jamaat members, dressed in khaki uniforms and black kippahs, formed part of the audience at the auction. Soon began the auction proceedings by listing the rules and terms of sale for the properties.“The properties are being sold ‘as is and where is’. So I give no warranty as to title. You buy at your own risk,” Soon told prospective bidders.Abu Bakr said “no comment” when asked for comment on the auction. (Trinidad Express)