The media was barred from the second court appearance of alleged fraudster Vicky Boodram and the two police officers, accused of facilitating her short-lived escape from prison.

Reporters from several media companies were present in the Arima Magistrate’s Court yesterday as the trio were due to reappear for the first time since being charged last week.

Shortly after 10 am, Senior Magistrate Gillian David-Scotland cleared the courtroom of members of the public as she sought to adjourn an unrelated the case of a minor accused of a crime.

Such a process is also used for hearings of sexual offences cases to protect the identity of the victim.

The T&T Guardian understands that while the courtroom was clear after the adjournment, police officers brought Boodram, PC LeVon Sylvester and WPC Lisa Navarro through the prisoners’ entrance for their hearing.

When reporters found out and re-entered the court, all three accused were seen in the prisoner enclosure.

Two police officers, who were present to testify in unrelated cases, informed reporters that they had to leave immediately as David-Scotland had cleared the court for the hearing.

Even as reporters questioned the officers, they were ushered from the court with one reporter being violently pushed from behind by one officer.

David-Scotland, who was presiding over the case while the drama unfolded, did not intervene.

Legal sources who were in the court during the hearing said prosecutors disclosed a written statement to defence attorneys and the case was adjourned to January 10.

Boodram escaped from the Women’s Prison in Arouca on November 27 but was arrested at a house at Latchoos Road, Penal, three days later.

Sylvester and Navarro were jointly charged with Boodram for aiding in her escape by presenting fraudulent court documents to prisons officers.

They were also charged with misbehaviour in public office.

The police officers were each granted $300,000 bail and have been suspended from duty. Boodram has already been denied bail over the 175 fraud charges related to her stint as a travel agent, when she escaped.

Lotto booth operator Roxanne Cudjoe, in whose house Boodram was found, was charged with harbouring a prisoner. Her court case is to be tried separately.

Boodram is being represented by Richard Isaac, while Navarro is being represented by Mario Merritt and Karuna Bisramsingh.

A Carapichaima couple was arrested after police recovered $220,000 which is believed to be part of the loot stolen from Super Industrial Services (SIS).

According to police, a 51-year-old man, who is employed as a crane operator at the company, and his 53-year-old wife were held on Monday during an exercise led by Sgt Ali of the Central Division along with Constables Duncan and Hercules.

The cash, $400,000 total, was stolen from a safe at the company’s Couva premises.

No charges have been laid yet in the case.

San Fernando CID arrested five members of a suspected robbery gang on Wednesday who has been targeting small businesses for the past month.

Investigators said the gang included two women who would go into the businesses under the pretence of making appointments in order to assess the entrances, exits and access to cash.

They would then pass on the information to their male accomplices who would then storm the businesses with guns to rob the customers and owners. In recent weeks, a doctor’s office, dentist’s office, a spa and massage parlour were robbed by the same gang. One of the women told police that she was employed as a geriatric nurse.

After a week of intelligence gathering, Insp Don Gajadhar coordinated an operation which saw Cpl Williams, Cpl Ramroop, Cpl Nanan, PC Maharaj and PC Ramcharit swooping down on a La Romaine community and the Embacadere building development. One of the male suspects, who works as a gravedigger, was found with a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver that was loaded with three rounds of ammunition. Investigators believe this was one of the weapons used in the string of robberies.

The suspects, who ages range from 27 to 36, were arrested and were still being questioned up to yesterday. They are expected to be placed on several identification parades this week. Later on, the officers continued with an anti-crime exercise and arrested nine people for possession of cocaine and marijuana.

A fifth person was arrested yesterday and a quantity of cash seized in relation to the $5.5 million robbery at the Piarco International Airport last week.

Police said the arrest took place early yesterday in Central Division. However, officers said they have to remain tight-lipped about their operations so as not to “spook” other suspects, noting they were still “connecting the dots.”

The well planned and orchestrated hit targeted a First Citizens bank load which was being sent to Tobago via Caribbean Airlines, and took place mere metres away from the Piarco Police Station.

In an unrelated incident, a maxi taxi driver was slain on the Priority Bus Route in St Augustine last night by bandits who had attempted to rob him.

Details were sketchy up to press time, but police said the driver had stopped at the bus shed which leads to St John’s Road around 9.30 when he was accosted by bandits. The driver, who police had not identified up to press time, apparently resisted and was shot by one of the bandits.

Cash-strapped Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is now saddled with a $5 billion debt.

This was revealed yesterday by WASA chairman Romney Thomas during a Public Accounts Committee meeting chaired by Dr Bhoe Tewarie, which examined WASA’s audited financial statements for the period 2008 to 2013.

Giving a breakdown of WASA’s operating cost, Thomas said the water authority received $1.9 billion in subventions from the Government this fiscal year, while it generated $700 million in revenue.

Thomas explained that while WASA’s annual expenditure was $2.7 billion, the State-owned company was faced with huge debts.

Asked by committee member Melissa Ramkissoon what was WASA’s debt for 2017, Thomas said if he remembered currently, the figure was around “$5 billion.”

WASA’s acting director of finance Giselle Spence said the debt fell into different areas. She explained that validated invoices to contractors and suppliers was over $300 million, while unvalidated invoices due for payment stood at beyond $1 billion. WASA also has a loan portfolio and recurrent operating expenditure which “would have been close to $2 billion,” Spence added.

In addition to this, Thomas said WASA had significant lawsuits before the court, some of from contractors. He said WASA has been on a cost cutting drive in the last two years which led to the company saving millions of dollars.

Among the measures taken to cut expenditure were renting less vehicles, curtailing advertising and significantly reducing the number of contracts awarded. Thomas said WASA has also been utilising its in-house staff to undertake work which was previously done by contractors.

Romney also said it costs WASA $2,000 per disconnection, while its re-connection fee is $250. WASA has 5,000 daily and monthly paid employees, he pointed out.

Acting director of customer care, Alan Poon-King, admitted WASA was overstaffed.

“Within the Caribbean, they have around seven employees per 1,000 connections. We are currently at around 13 employees per 1,000 connections,” Poon-King said.

However, Thomas gave the assurance that WASA would not cut jobs “at this point in time.”

In a bid to raise its own funds, Thomas said WASA has toyed with the idea of bottling its own water, which has a vibrant market, but they were yet to finalise this decision. He also admitted that it would cost WASA $3 billion to replace its ageageing pipelines, some of which have outlived their lifespan of 25 years.

While WASA supplies 92 per cent of the population with water, CEO Dr Ellis Burris said there are approximately 2,151 leaks to be fixed.

Daily,WASA loses between 43 to 50 per cent of its water from leaking pipelines, which the committee found alarming.

A Rio Claro man facing additional months to his nearly completed jail sentence reportedly jumped into the choppy waters off Carrera Island Prison yesterday afternoon and has not been seen since.

Unil Phillip, 45, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for possession of a shotgun and six rounds of ammunition in July 2015 and would have been released in January of 2019. Yesterday, Phillip reportedly had a fight with a fellow inmate and was charged with assault. He was being taken to be adjudicated when he fled the prison. If found guilty of the new charge while incarcerated, he would have had months added on to his sentence.

Phillip reportedly broke free from the clutches of prison officers and ran towards the fencing before climbing and jumping into the waters below. The escape took place around midday, prison officials said.

The T&T Police Service is now offering professional counselling services to the daughters and wife of slain SRP Richard Babwah.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday, Babwah’s wife, Akeba Sorzano, confirmed the service has reached out to her after reading the girls had been severely traumatised by their father’s killing.

“They contacted me this morning and told me that they are offering counselling for the girls and I…I have been really taking this hard…I am not eating not sleeping, nothing…maybe I really need to talk to someone,” Sorzano said.

Sorzano said the family has been monitoring Babwah’s daughters, ages nine and eight, very closely.

“Today (yesterday) I am just spending time with them, laying with them...they are only playing hopscotch and asking for games to play…so we are doing that with them because they have not accepted that their daddy is gone yet…they are still trying to come to terms with that,” Sorzano said.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has expressed sadness over Babwah’s death and extended condolences to relatives and friends of the slain officer.

On Monday, Babwah had just gone off duty and was at Long Yuan Chinese Restaurant in Arouca at about 5.20 pm when two men entered, one armed with a gun, and announced a robbery. Babwah drew his service pistol and there was an exchange of gunfire, during which time one of the suspects was hit in the lower abdomen. Babwah sustained several gunshot wounds about the body and died on the scene. The bandits then made their escape in a getaway car.

The wounded suspect, a 33-year-old Maloney man, sought medical attention at the Arima District Health Facility, where he was subsequently detained. He was then transferred to the Eric Williams’ Medical Sciences Complex and remains under police guard. The other two suspects were also subsequently held by police.

Babwah, who had four years’ service, was last assigned to the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region 2, Arouca. His funeral is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow at the Faith Assemble Church in Arouca then to the Belgrove’s Crematorium in Tacarigua for a private cremation.

The autopsy on 23-month-old Soriah Martin, who was killed during a quarrel involving family members in Sangre Grande on Tuesday, will now take place today at the Forensic Science Centre, St James. Her autopsy was initially carded for yesterday but was postponed after none of her family members turned up to identify her body, the T&T Guardian was told by officials at the centre.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old T&T Defence Force member held in connection with the incident has been handed over to the Homicide Bureau Region II Arouca by officers attached to Sangre Grande CID. The lance corporal, who is attached to Special Forces and is based at Tetron Barracks, Chaguaramas, has 12 years service. He was still being interrogated and statements recorded up to last night, after which his file will be submitted to the DPP’s Office for instruction, police investigators said.

Police reported that around 5 pm on Tuesday, Martin’s uncle, Gregory Harracksingh got into a heated argument with a relative who went to the family’s Paul Street home to see the child. The relative reportedly pulled out a gun during the argument and shot at Harracksingh, who was wounded. Martin, who was being held by another relative also in the room, was reportedly also shot during the gunfire. The relative later fled the scene but was apprehended by officers attached to the Valencia Police Post. Martin and Harracksingh were taken by relatives to the Sangre Grande Hospital, where Martin, who was shot in the head, was pronounced dead by doctors.

When the T&T Guardian visited the family’s home yesterday, relatives preferred not to speak for religious reasons.

RALPH BANWARIE

After fighting off death in India and battling through three days of surgery, the high pitch giggles of five-year-old Haleema Mohammed are once again warmed the hearts of her relatives.

Haleema and her family returned to Trinidad on Tuesday night after she successfully underwent a life-saving bone marrow transplant at the Fortis Memorial Institute for Allogeneic Transplant in Gurgaon, India. Haleema had been diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Major, a deadly blood disorder which reduces the production of haemoglobin.

Last June, Haleema’s mother, Kristal, applied to the Children’s Life Fund Authority for funding for the surgery. The authority said it would have taken up to three months to consider the case. On August 15, Kristal filed a lawsuit challenging the delay by the authority to consider her urgent application. But in a response the following day, the authority’s board rejected the application on the grounds that Beta Thalassemia Major was not considered a life-threatening illness as required by Section 19(e) of the act guiding its operations.

The family was left to fend for themselves, but within weeks private and corporate citizens poured out their financial support and they were able to raise the funding for the trip and operation.

Although the family is relieved to be home, Kristal told of the harrowing experience of watching her daughter scream from pain and not being able to do anything about it during the process. She recalled that on arrival in India, Haleema’s blood iron level was over 3,000 and climbing. She said the doctors eventually had to order special medicine from Germany as Haleema’s risk of dying was high during this period.

“It was really scary. When we reached in India, the doctors started doing a lot of tests on her heart, lungs and kidneys in preparation for her procedure,” Kristal recalled.

“On the day they inserted the Hickman line in her chest, I cried so much because she was alone in there with people she did not know. She and I are so close and all I could have done was watched. After surgery, she cried for days in pain and she could not even move until she started to heal internally.

“I was so sad to see her go through so much pain that I told the doctors that I did not want to do it any more. But the doctors told us that if we did not see about it now, we could have decided to go back home, but things would get worst.”

Following the surgery on September 29, Haleema’s donor, her brother Haleem, was allowed to leave. However, Haleema endured seven days of chemotherapy which darkened her skin and caused her hair to fall off, Kristal said.

But like the book of Psalms says, joy followed her pain and her recovery came swiftly.

“Words cannot express the way I feel about how the country helped to save my child’s life? I am truly grateful. I pray for everyone and thank everyone for pulling my family through this.”

But Haleema is not fully out of the woods yet and has to continue her medication to ensure her body does not reject the bone marrow. She also has a strict diet and must be in well sanitised surroundings for the next year. As a result, she will not be able to attend school.

Having spent $50 million annually to dialyze 1,167 patients at private hospitals, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh is now planning to scrap this arrangement and place additional dialysis machines at public hospitals.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian following a Cabinet meeting yesterday, Deyalsingh said he had just received approval from Cabinet to set up more patient-oriented haemodialysis suites in public hospitals rather than transfer dialysis patients to private hospitals.

“We spend $50 million per year to dialyze patients. We have 1,167 patients being dialyzed privately. I just came out of Cabinet and I have a Cabinet note to do just that,” Deyalsingh responded when asked why Government was spending millions at private hospitals when more dialysis machines could be set up in public hospitals at a cheaper price.

He added, “I am now awaiting a Request For Proposal (RFP) to engage dialysis centres in a formal manner with the Government in a more patient centric model. where we will do not just dialysis but also renal care.”

Asked how many additional dialysis units will be purchased and when they will come on stream, Deyalsingh said this is still being worked out. He could not say how much money government will save or how much money will be spent to establish the services.

Deyalsingh also denied that some patients were not receiving dialysis since Medcorp Limited was removed from the list of private centres contracted by the Ministry.

“All 47 patients who were being dialyzed at Medcorp have already been transferred so no patient is doing without dialysis. Other centres are working with us and between the other centres and public institutions, no patient is going without dialysis. No one’s life is in danger,” Deyalsingh said.

He did not want to divulge why some centres were removed from the Ministry’s list but said a team of quality personnel have been monitoring the private centres since the start of 2016.

“When I became Minister there were complaints stretching back two yeas and nobody did anything about it,” Deyalsingh added.

List of centres still contracted by the ministry

Princes Town Dialysis Centre

Trinidad Dialysis in Sangre Grande

Caribbean Kidney Dialysis

Nova Medical Centre

Institute of Medical Education (IME)

KDR Medical Care Limited

Seventh Day Adventist Community Hospital

St Augustine Private Hospital

John Haynes Medical

Angered that the maxi door slammed on his elbow, a gunman on Wednesday night opened fire on a maxi driver killing him while passengers looked on in fear.

According to an eyewitness, the killer was in a hoodie and three-quarter pants and stopped just before St John Road, Tunapuna along the Priority Bus Route.

After stepping out and paying the driver, Brandon Dupigny, the killer began patting himself down and told Dupigny he lost his cellphone. The eyewitness stated that the driver allowed the killer back into the vehicle to search the seat on which he had been sitting .

The killer was seated two seats behind the driver. After exiting the second time the killer again began to pat himself searching for the missing cellphone.

As Dupigny began to slowly drive off, the maxi door began closing and slammed on the killer’s elbow. He then pulled out a gun from his waist and fired three shots at Dupigny. Dupigny’s left foot remained on the accelerator and the maxi kept moving forward as the killer ran to freedom.

A passenger in the front seat tried to steer the vehicle but it slammed into a ditch and flipped on the side at St John’s Road. Dupigny and other passengers were removed from the maxi and he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday, Dupigny’s brother, Steve said his brother was a lover of sports who had been driving maxi for the past 15 years.

Dupigny, originally from Bournes Road, St James, was living at Coalmine, Sangre Grande. The 57-year-old father of four, he said, was a very generous, kind-hearted man who “really cared for people.”

He added that his brother was a churchgoer.

Homicide officers said they could not determine a cause for his shooting as robbery was clearly not the motive. One Homicide officer told the T&T Guardian that Dupigny was “a churchman” and police are stumped as to why he was murdered.

More problems on the inter-island cargo ferry the Cabo Star as a damaged electrical switch which controls the engine forced the cancellation of the sailing from Tobago on Wednesday night leaving truckers up in arms and concerned about perishable goods on the vessel.

President of the Inter-Island Truckers Association Horace Amede said he understands the starboard engine went down, He said, “Christmas in Tobago looking bleak because we losing a lot of days for the month so far.”

Amede was uncertain whether the vessel would have made a return sailing to Tobago saying “we are expecting a cruise ship in Tobago with four thousand passengers. We are not sure what time the vessel will get in or if it will sail back to Tobago today.”

He said the situation had greatly inconvenienced drivers who were hoping to make a turn-around to deliver, pick up and return.

Vice president of the Inter Island Truckers Association Samuel Applewhite said although the vessel sailed yesterday morning “it did not take any passengers.”

The truckers and loaders were asked to seek alternative transport on the T&T Express.

He said the vessel left Scarborough sailing on one engine and the normal five- hour trip would have taken almost eight hours.

Applewhite said among the goods on the vessel were perishable foodstuff which is transported for sale in the market on Thursday and Friday. This included oranges, bananas, pommecythere and avocadoes, “whatever fruits are in season they bring it to sell in the wholesale market.”

An official announcement from the management of Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Company (TTIT) said the vessel experienced “mechanical issues” on Wednesday night and was unable to make its scheduled 11 pm sailing.

The TTIT said the vessel sailed from Tobago at 6.05 am yesterday and the return sailing was delayed. But no time was given for that sailing the advisory stating “users will be advised of the rescheduled time upon the arrival of the vessel into PoS.”

While the official word from the Port was “mechanical issues,” vice president of Bridgemans Services Group Andrew Purdey said “all the engines are fine.”

He identified the problem which caused the delay as “a damaged electrical switch.” Purdey said, “The switch controls the thruster motors and a main engine,” and the vessel could not sail until the switch was replaced.

But he assured there was a spare in Tobago to replace the damaged switch.

Truckers meanwhile say they are concerned that although the Cabo Star was leased for one year they had noticed they are doing work on the vessel and “we have to wonder whether we would be stuck with it.”

Applewhite added: “There are foreigners on the boat installing air condition units,” but he lamented that the units are being installed “in the area they are using.” Their presence on the board he said had also reduced the number of cabins available to truckers and loaders and many of them were forced to sleep on the ground.

Over the past few months the truckers have complained about non-functioning air condition units on the boat which they say make the vessel a sweat shop.

The Law Association yesterday called on Chief Justice Ivor Archie to speak up on allegations questioning his conduct in office now in the public domain, saying it was shocked at his deafening silence.

In a release last evening, the council said it was increasingly alarmed at allegations of improper conduct levelled directly and by implication against him, as head of the Judiciary.

“Of particular concern is the allegation that he has intervened to obtain preferential treatment in the distribution of public housing to his acquaintances,” the council said.

“The council is even more troubled at the failure of the Chief Justice to respond to these damaging allegations despite calls from various quarters, including the Law Association, publicly and privately, that he do so with alacrity. The Chief Justice’s steadfast refusal to refute these and other accusations levelled against him is unacceptable and incomprehensible.”

The council said it is of the view the CJ’s continued failure to challenge the allegations has the potential to irreparably bring the Office of Chief Justice into disrepute, and by extension tarnish the entire Judiciary.

“His continued silence is nothing short of reckless,” the council said.

“As already stated publicly, the council of the Law Association had resolved to ascertain/substantiate the facts upon which the allegations made against the Chief Justice were alleged to be based with a view to determining what, if any, further action might be appropriate. In this regard, attention is drawn to Section 5 of the Legal Profession Act, which mandates that the purposes of the Law Association include representing and protecting the interests of the legal profession and promoting, maintaining and supporting the administration of justice and the rule of law.”

The council’s statement came even as the man of the centre of some of the allegations, Dillian Johnson, a friend of the CJ, reported to police earlier this week that he had information on individuals who want to kill him and who conspired in the attack on him during a shooting incident at his Gasparillo recently.

Johnson named at least two high profile people in a 12-page statement he lodged with the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He produced screen shots of what appears to be Whatsapp conversations among three people - the two high profile individuals he named in his statement and a security agent he also named. However, investigating officers say they are yet to authenticate the messages.

Yesterday, an IT expert who viewed the Whatsapp messages produced by Johnson pointed out to Guardian Media what appears to be abnormalities in them, including times, dates and icons inconsistent with how they are usually displayed in WhatsApp messages.

John’s allegations are currently being investigated by the police.

The speed limit on all major highways throughout T&T has been increased to 100 kilometres per hour and will take effect today.

However, this only means motorists will face the full brunt of the law if they exceed this new limit, as police officers will not be exercising any level of leniency.

The way for the new speed limit was cleared after President Anthony Carmona assented to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) (No 2) Act of 2017. Yesterday, Ministry of Works and Transport workers began replacing the speed limit signs to reflect the new 100 kilometre per hour limit soon to be enforced.

In a release yesterday, the ministry said it was working with the office of the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs for the publication of the requisite legal notices “to allow for the regulation and enforcement of the new speed limits in Trinidad and Tobago.”

The amended Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act bill was debated and passed in the Senate on November 28. The new bill will permit the new speed limit to increase from 80 km per hour to 100km per hour.

Contacted on the move yesterday, Arrive Alive (AA) president Sharon Inglefield said they had no issue with raising the speed limit but noted it must be “subject to proper road safety maintenance and infrastructure to include a minimum of a three-star status international rating for roads ... meaning,…excellent road markings with thermoplastic paint, signage, lighting, road surfaces, pot hole repairs, barriers, pedestrian crossings and an Irapp audit that will ensure that present road network is safe at higher speeds and that the most vulnerable are protected.”

However, she noted that there needs to be discussed the lack of proper signage “going into villages, towns and around schools at 30 kph! Nobody seems to remember that we all need to slow down to protect pedestrians in these areas!”

Inglefield urged the TTPS to continue to include the enforcement with the new speed guns and breathalyser tests.

Yesterday, driver Khalil Khan said whilst he welcomed the increase he hopes the authorities will focus on reckless drivers. Another driver, Sasier Gokool, said she had no objection providing checks are done to ensure the increased speed limit adheres to proper design standards to maintain safe commute of the public. Shivanee Ramadhar, of Chaguanas, said the increased speed limit should play a role in easing the traffic congestion.

There will be no new intake of students at the University of T&T (UTT) in the new academic year 2018/2019 in three of its major programmes. The academic programmes were identified as: Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Science and Management, Bioscience and Agriculture and Health Sciences.

The announcement was made to the student body on Tuesday by UTT president Professor Sarim Al-Zubaidy.

In wishing the students a Merry Christmas and “the very best” in the New Year, Al-Zubaidy broke the unfortunate news. He, however, noted that they will be able to complete their respective courses of study, “or if they prefer transition to a commensurate programme within the university.”

“As such, no UTT student will be asked to exit the university and I anticipate that there should be minimum disruption to current students during this time,” Al-Zubaidy said.

Admitting the challenging economic times have made operations more difficult, he said he still believes things are not impossible.

“What the university requires, at this point, is to make the necessary improvements which will allow us to adjust to our new internal and external circumstances. In this regard, UTT’s academics will focus on classroom instruction, as well as research and publication,” Al-Zubaidy said.

In the next three years, he said he expects a quantum leap in UTT’s research ranking and hopes the university will become a global tertiary education powerhouse. He also said greater emphasis will be placed on internationally marketing the university’s academic programmes, “because there is untapped potential for revenue generation from non-national students.”

On November 1, UTT chairman of the board of governors, Professor Kenneth Julien, announced that the university would not be able to continue operations beyond January 2018 if it did not find a way to manage operational costs. He also noted that some of the adjustments would include significant job cuts at both the managerial and academics levels. Julien explained that challenges worsened with the further 11 per cent decrease in UTT’s 2017/2018 recurrent allocation to $200 million.

The Government monthly subvention for UTT fell short of over $6 million in October and those monies were only received last month. UTT usually receives a monthly subvention of $16.7 million, but for the month of October only got $10 million.

Little Soriah Martin died of a single gunshot wound to the head, her autopsy confirmed yesterday.

Police said afterwards that they suspect the child was hit after the bullet that struck her uncle Gregory Harracksingh in the arm, ricocheted and struck her as she stood nearby. The shooting occurred as Harracksingh was arguing with the suspect, who had gone to the Harracksingh family’s Sangre Grande house to visit his daughter.

As investigations into Martin’s death continued yesterday, police said the 29-year-old soldier in custody for her shooting was in denial over her death. Officers said the man, who was transferred from the Valencia Police Post to the Sangre Grande station after surrendering on Tuesday night, was first told of Martin’s death on Wednesday but said he did not believe it was true.

Fishermen yesterday found the body of a Piarco woman at Patience Bay, Galera Road, Toco.

Police said around 6.30 am, fishermen were on their way to go fishing when they found the body of Maxine Lewis, 21, on the shoreline in only a bra. A report was made to the nearby Toco Police Station and Sgt Sookdeo, PCs Wallace and Singh responded.

Lewis was found with her hands stretched above her head and clad in a bra and underwear, which was slightly removed.

The officers cordoned off the area to prevent curious villagers from entering. Police officers from Homicide Region II Arouca later joined them and carried out a search for any clues. However, police were unable to determine whether Lewis was killed or possibly committed suicide up to last evening.

Villagers said Lewis was unknown to them but one woman remembered Lewis, of Oropune Gardens, Piarco, travelling in a maxi taxi with her to Toco this week.

District Medical Officer Dr Chandolu viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where an autopsy will be conducted today to determine cause of death.

Police contacted Lewis’ relatives who said she was last seen on Wednesday and was in good spirits. They were confused as to how she got to Toco.

Homicide officers from Region II Arouca are investigating.

RALPH BANWARIE

Three days after PC Richard Babwah was killed during a shootout with bandits, another officer was shot under similar circumstances in Marabella.

Yesterday, however, PC Anand Ram, who is attached to the Gasparillo Police Station, was hailed a hero after he and his colleagues risked their lives to save a woman whose home had been invaded earlier by three bandits.

Ram was shot in the abdomen during a gunfight after he confronted one of the alleged bandits who was trying to escape. Suspect Isaac Simmons, who is just 15, was also shot dead by Ram during the incident.

According to police reports, around 4 pm three armed bandits broke into the home of a bank manager along Moze Drive, Gopaul Lands. They kept the woman under guard as they went through the house.

However, neighbours reportedly contacted police after seeing something suspicious. Police later responded and caught the bandits running away from the house. The officers approached the bandits and there was an exchange of gunfire. Ram was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and was awaiting a CT scan up to press time. Colleagues said Ram was wearing a bullet proof vest but the bullet entered an area of his body which was not protected by armour.

Simmons, who lived in the nearby ‘train line’ community, died at the scene. Investigators said he was known to them, as he recently spent two days in custody in connection with a robbery.

Supt Rohan Pardasie, ASP Ali Mohammed, Insp Don Gajadhar, Sgt Dale Ramroop, Cpl Barry Bachus and PC Roger Moses responded and the other two suspects were later held.

An eyewitness said when police responded to the robbery, the suspects attempted to run away from the house. Simmons ran onto Fahey Avenue and tried to hide in the bushes of an empty lot. On realising the officers had followed him, he tried to sneak out but stumbled and fell. As the officers drew closer, he began shooting wildly and injured Ram. Other officers returned fire and Simmons was killed. One of the suspects was held at the house. The eyewitness said the young boys living along the old train line were responsible for several of the the crimes in the area, including three robberies in one week against a resident.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian at the scene yesterday, Simmons’ grandmother, Merlene Rock, said she had a premonition that he would be killed and warned him. However, she said he still persisted in wrongdoing. Rock said Simmons’ problems with crime started recently, when he left his mother’s home in Tarodale Gardens, Ste Madeleine and went to live in the old train line community.

“I spoke to him just Monday when he came from school. He met me at the junction as I was going to buy paint by the hardware, so I took him with me,” Rock said.

“I told him that this is the best thing he is doing: Going to school so he could work hard for what he wants. I do talk to all my grandchildren. Police told me to talk to him because his name was calling. They came and told me that he would get killed if he continued. I dreamt that he got killed and I told him. I felt a pain in my gut knowing that you’re talking to them right through and they are not listening.”

It was only on Monday that Babwah was killed by one of two bandits who tried to rob a Chinese restaurant in Arouca. Babwah wounded one of the bandits during a shoot-out in the restaurant, but all three suspects were subsequently apprehended. His funeral is today in Arouca.

While many see the death of 15-year-old Isaac Simmons as poetic justice for robbing the home of a Republic Bank manager on Thursday, his short life has been riddled with bad influence, poor decision making and stigmatisation.

Simmons’ mother, Shenelle Rock, told the T&T Guardian yesterday that while she admitted her son engaged in criminal activities, she believed his promise he would change. But she said living in the impoverished train line community, in the shadow of the affluent Gopaul Lands development, meant Simmons was never given a chance by society.

Standing outside her home yesterday, Rock said police always had their eyes on her son because of close relatives who were known to be involved in criminal activities. Rock claimed police would always stop and search them, even planting drugs on the young men in the area. As a result, Simmons and her elder son would run every time they saw a patrol.

It was only on Wednesday that a Chaguanas magistrate placed Simmons on a bond to keep the peace for two years after he was found guilty of possession of marijuana at the Carapichaima Secondary School.

“They’ve (Simmons and his brother) been doing little things in between and they were caught. They served their time in the police station, court and YTC and they were willing to change,” Rock said.

She recalled yesterday that Simmons was asleep when he was called out by a friend on Thursday. Believing in his promise to behave, she did not object to him leaving. However, when gunshots rang out she said she felt a pain in her gut.

“I heard that my son surrendered, the police did not have the kill him like that. The child now got a two-year bond to behave himself.”

But police told the Guardian that Simmons was armed when he fled the robbery scene. They said when Simmons realised he was cornered by police, he began firing wildly. Rock said she did not know where her son got the gun from, but suspects it was given to him by a 17-year-old relative who was held by police at the house, or the suspect who escaped and was still being sought up to yesterday.

The train line community is frequently patrolled by police, who said it is home to several drug pushers and bandits. Among the poverty and crime are many children, who ACP Harry Baldeo said will be looked after by the police. Baldeo said in the coming weeks, the community police will be going into the area in the hope of making a positive intervention.

Gopaul Land residents have blamed the train line community for several robberies in the area.

When the T&T Guardian visited the home where Thursday’s robbery occurred, an occupant said he was too distraught to speak about the incident. Several other residents also declined to speak on the matter, but expressed concern with the rising rate of robberies during this Christmas season.

For most people, being shot is a traumatic experience that lingers. But despite lying on a hospital bed with a gunshot wound to his abdomen after confronting a bandit the day before, PC Anand Ram yesterday had no fear of returning to patrol the streets.

Ram, 27, said when citizens make the decision to become a police officer they know the dangers of the job. While thankful for life, he said it was his duty to continue to protect citizens.

“Obviously I’m in a lot of pain, but as I was telling somebody this morning, this is part of the work,” Ram told the T&T Guardian.

“People know what they’re getting into when they decide to be a police officer. All those people who want to jump up and be a police officer, you need to think about these things because your life will be at risk and half of the public will think that police shoot first. At the end of the day, police sacrifice their lives for people who they do not even know.”

According to reports, Ram and three colleagues from the Gasparillo Police Station were on patrol in Williamsville around 4.30 pm Thursday when they received a report of a robbery in Marabella. They responded and on reaching Fifth Street, Gopaul Lands, they saw 15-year-old Isaac Simmons running. The officers chased him into some bushes on Fahey Street and ordered him to stop. However, Simmons was armed and opened fire on the officers, who returned fire. Simmons was shot several times and died at the scene.

Ram was shot in the abdomen, with the bullet entering his left side, narrowly missing his colon and exiting through his back. He was surrounded by family and police guard at the San Fernando General Hospital when the T&T Guardian visited yesterday.

Ram said with his adrenaline pumping while chasing Simmons, he did not know he was shot until he touched his side and felt blood. He said he did not panic and continued searching for the other suspects, but his colleagues eventually took him to the hospital.

Ram did not need surgery, but blood samples were being analysed to ensure he does not suffer lead poisoning from the bullet. He said while was in pain, he was ready to return to duty. His only concern is whether he heals properly and quickly.

“I am not traumatised, not worried. Me returning to work depends on what my seniors decide and how much injury leave I get. I think when that time comes, we will cross that bridge. There are good people in this society, law-abiding citizens who need protection.”

ACP Harry Baldeo said yesterday he was pleased with Ram’s recovery, adding the investigation into the incident will continue over the weekend with the two suspects in custody. Noting that it was the second shooting of an officer this week, he said it highlights the daunting nature of policing.

Ram’s family, as well as his colleagues who were involved in Thursday’s incident, have been offered counselling.

“This goes to show the extent we are willing to go for the sake of the public. We are prepared to put ourselves in the line of duty for the sake of our country. Especially now, we are working to ensure that the public has a safe and Merry Christmas. We are calling on the citizens to partner with us to solve crimes,” Baldeo said.

He also urged businesses with large sums of money to transport to the bank to contact the police for security.