By Rhondor Dowlat, newsday.co.tt
January 03, 2007
A woman who was earlier spotted talking to officers attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS), who were enquiring about a person believed to be linked to the kidnapping of Xtra Foods Supermarket CEO, Vindra Naipaul-Coolman, was later gunned down in front of her house. The woman’s killing was one of two murders recorded yesterday — the second day in the new year. Both victims were gunned down.
The first murder for the year was recorded at about 1 am when a 47-year-old man of Mount Hope was ambushed by gunmen outside his home.
According to a police report, Ophelia De Peiza, 25, a mother of one, of Laventille Road Extension, Never Dirty, Morvant was talking to the AKS officers when the man, who they were enquiring about was spotted not too far off. The man was subsequently subdued, arrested and taken to the AKS Unit in Port-of-Spain for questioning.
Naipaul-Coolman was snatched outside her Lange Park, Chaguanas home on December 19 last year. A ransom demand of $3M was subsequently made in exchange for her safe release.
According to a police report, at 9 pm, Naipaul-Coolman pulled up in front of her Radix Street home in her SUV van when she was pounced upon by a gang of men who began shooting at the front passenger side of the vehicle. The report stated that Naipaul fought the gunmen but was badly beaten during the struggle. She was eventually bundled into a gold-coloured Almera car and whisked away.
A ransom has been paid for Naipaul’s release, but up to yesterday she remained in the hands of her kidnappers.
Police said that about 2.30 pm De Peiza was on the concrete steps leading to her home when she was approached by two men armed with guns. The men, the report stated, accused her of being an informant before firing several shots killing her on the spot. The men escaped on foot.
De Peiza was shot in the head and the right side of the body. Her head, police said, had a gaping hole in the forehead above the right eye.
Police reportedly recovered ten spent shells on the scene. A female relative who wished not to be identified denied reports that De Peiza was an ‘‘informer.’’ “She was a very nice and quiet girl. The only thing is that she was very straight forward and would talk out on things that happen. She was not an informer she was just merely outspoken,” the relative said.
In the first incident, Neil Alexander of Hope Place, Mount Hope Road was awakened by a voice that sounded like one of his son’s. The report stated that when Alexander responded and exited his house into his yard he was confronted by two gun-toting men. Alexander, police said was shot in the head. He was rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
When Newsday visited Alexander’s residence yesterday relatives refused to comment on the incident. A taxi driver in the area described Alexander as a quiet man who troubled no one. Alexander’s son was gunned down last year October during a robbery.
Investigations are continuing into both incidents by officers attached to the Homicide Bureau in Port-of- Spain.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,50069.html
Wow, Trinidad is really in A Mess.Government ministers need to take action..move out of your comfort zone and create better laws to protect us …train the police force properly and continue to train them. Give them the tools they need. My God you all really do not care about us. Mr prime minister you dont care! and your not going to care until crime affects you directly. Your children are safe and you don’t have to worry about ducking bullets, YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR SAFETY! SO ..u just dont care about ours.
Dear Editor
I am forced to add my insignificant thoughts regarding the issue of governamce in T&T, which is woeful beyond one’s imagination and is unlikely to improve unless and until the people of our once lovely island accept ownership for the ills that are presently befalling us (and I us the term us albeit; I am residing in the UK), ills which have been nurtured as a consequence of family breakdown, ineffective policing, a failure in the education system etc, etc, etc.
I can spek from experience since I, together with my wife, were the victims of a robbery at gunpoint (in Westmoorings) in 1998…my wife is from Monserratand it was her first visit to T&T ergo, you can imagine her reaction after my constant boasting about the island from which I originated.
But, to add insult to injury, the “police officer” who attended the eating establishment where the incident occured was greeted by the barman viz; ” longtime no see boy, how things? hold a guiness nah”, which the officer duly accepted. T cut a long story short, when we objected to his (the officer’s)lack of professionalism, we threatened with arrest…make of it what you will.
How then, can the citizens of T&T expect to receive any protection when from my observations most of the officers do not seem to possess a modicum of integrity.
To rectify this situation, this in my view is not a party-politics issue but a desire to provide the citizenry with governance that recognises a duty of care.
I have not been back home for the last 2 years because I have no confidence that the welfare of ordinary individuals are of concern.
it’s amazing that in Trinidad evyerone seems to know someone. so how come in a country this size, no-one seems to know whose behind all these criminal activities, particularly kidnapping. by the way, i think that all these activities, illegal arms trade, drug trafficking and kidnapping are all linked..and someone in charge knows the other someone whose behind all this. i am fed up of all the pretence. in the meantime the innocents are led to the slaughter like lambs..however we can’t be afraid..this land is ours..and we all have a right to what is ours.
i’ts really a shock to know our country this small and no one cannot find these criminals who are causeing kidnappings,murder etc.our police officers are on GAMES!GAMES!OUR PRIME MINISTER IS A WASTE OF TIME and does not care about his country at all,what is going on in our country!!!!!!!!
The police officers are not doing there job by even finding the suspects,the system is so weak in trinidad and we all knows that.
There will be no justice for our loved ones who got murdered in Trinidad,maybe Trinidad needs to get help from other government because they cannot handle it themselfs.My brother was murdered by his childhood friend in a party where everyone saw what happened and the police did nothing or tried to find the guy.This makes my pain even worst,someone needs to help,is the police afraid of the bad guys?.
My empathy goes out to the family of this young woman and to all the families who have loved ones have become ” causalities” in a war on TNT which has been declared by criminals since back in the 1980’s.
The fact of the matter is up to this time.as we speak,the Government ( which in my humble view is a single unit made of two units.(1) The PNM Majority and (2) The UNCA Minority)has not formally declared war on CRIME and CRIMINALS.
The Criminals have by their consistent actions and increasing murders have already declared war on the Citizens of TNT,Legal residents and visitors to TNT since back in the 1980’s!
I have said it again and again on the Internet in the Media ( some will not print it ) and to some people that I CAN WIN THE WAR ON CRIME IN TNT IN EIGTEEN MONTHS AND AT LOW COST AND WITHIN THE LAWS OF TNT AND ALSO END THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN TWO YEARS AT LOW COST….no one is listening!
Since that time they brought down all kinds of idiots,charlatans and confidence men and paid them huge sums to arrive at exactly where we are today with crime!
I tried to reach the attorney General but the ” security idiots” who surround the Government officials see themselves actually as ” decision makers” hence they claimed that I should give them my plans and they will review them and forward the plans to the Government!
Dumbo….get a real job and a life!
The state of affairs shall continue and get worse and shooting a few low level minions here and there shall yield no real crime stopping results but the alienation of a large segment of the population further…mark my words and mark them well…
The Fearless TNT Republican.