POLICE are seeking the public's assistance in identifying the decomposing body of a man which was found in a shallow grave in the Tapana Forest yesterday in Valencia.

The discovery was made shortly after 2.p.m. by two men who had taken their dogs to exercise one mile off the Tapana Main Road, police said. The men telephoned the police and officers from the Eastern Division Task Force, led by Cpls Nicholas Vialva and Awong-Cole, went to the scene. Homicide detectives Cpl Learie Figaro and PCs Sunil Ramoutar and Wayne Mohammed, along with Cpl Harper from the Valencia Police Post, were also summoned to the scene.

Officers said the victim appeared to be six foot tall and of muscular built. Due to the condition the body, police were unable to determine its ethnicity. After the body was removed from the grave, the District Medical Officer examined it and ordered the corpse taken to the Forensic Science Centre in St James.

Police were expected to check the missing persons list to determine if the victim was previously reported missing. Anyone with information on the victim is asked to contact the Region II Homicide Bureau of Investigations at 640-1738 or the Valencia police at 667-9030.