Trinidad and Tobago law enforcement officials are navigating the early sensitive stages of a homicide investigation after 53-year-old Cunupia-based attorney Taradath Singh was gunned down in a public street in Charlieville on Tuesday evening, with no clear motive publicly confirmed as of yet.
Singh, a resident of Penn Trace, Cunupia, had just finished a workout at the Power House Gym located at the busy intersection of Caroni Savannah Road and ASJA Avenue when he was targeted at approximately 6:25 p.m. Witness accounts shared with homicide investigators indicate a masked assailant clad in a full blue coverall approached the unassuming attorney as he walked along the adjacent roadway, before opening fire multiple times at close range. Singh managed to flee a short distance toward the adjacent ASJA compound before succumbing to his injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.
Leading the active case probe is WPC Mohammed of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, with senior police leadership holding a press briefing at the Port of Spain Police Administration Building the following day to update the public on ongoing efforts, while withholding key operational details to avoid compromising the case. Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin confirmed that investigators are currently cross-referencing physical evidence and gathering on-the-ground intelligence, but declined to disclose whether any formal suspects have been identified, or if the killing is connected to legal cases Singh handled during his career.
When pressed by reporters about a prior reported threat against Singh’s life on September 28, where his BMW vehicle was shot at as he arrived at his Cunupia residence, Martin verified that the earlier incident was already the subject of an open active investigation, and that detectives are now exploring potential links between the two events. “The first 24 to 48 hours of any homicide probe are absolutely critical, as we work to verify sensitive tip information and validate intelligence leads that could be jeopardized by premature public disclosure,” Martin explained, noting that uniformed and plainclothes officers are deployed across the Charlieville and Cunupia areas to follow up on witness leads. She also declined to comment on whether Singh had formally requested police protective detail following the September shooting attempt, citing the force’s standardized, case-specific threat assessment protocol that tailors security support to verified risk levels and the consent of the at-risk individual.
The violent targeted killing has sent shockwaves through the local legal community, with the Assembly of Southern Lawyers releasing an official public statement condemning the brazen attack. The legal advocacy group called on the Commissioner of Police to allocate all necessary investigative resources to deliver a prompt, impartial, and thorough probe, emphasizing that legal practitioners must be able to execute their professional duties free from threats of violence or intimidation. The association noted that even without a confirmed public motive for the killing, the widespread anxiety sparked across the legal profession demands urgent attention from authorities, and stressed that Singh’s surviving family deserves full accountability for his death. The group added that a swift, resolute law enforcement response is critical to prevent further erosion of safety for legal professionals across the region.
Cops mum on suspects, motive in lawyer’s murder
