分类： society

A solemn, dignified farewell was held yesterday for acting Corporal Anuska Eversley, the 41-year-old Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS) officer brutally murdered while on duty at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station. Colleagues, senior law enforcement leaders, friends, and grieving family members gathered at San Fernando’s Faith Centre to honor her 17 years of public service and celebrate her life beyond the police badge.

Dozens of uniformed officers from across the regional division filled the funeral venue, answering the call to stand in solidarity with Eversley’s bereaved loved ones. In accordance with the family’s explicit wishes, formal military-style ceremonial traditions were omitted from the service, but the collective presence of Eversley’s fellow officers served as a quiet, powerful tribute to her years of commitment and the lasting mark she left on the national law enforcement community.

Eversley’s life was cut short more than a week prior, when she was beaten and strangled during an overnight shift at the station. Her body was discovered by a fellow officer on the morning of April 19, and investigators found the facility’s secure firearms strong room had been completely emptied. The brazen, on-duty killing and mass weapons heist sent immediate shockwaves through both Trinidad and Tobago’s law enforcement circles and the general public.

To date, the investigation into the theft of the massive cache of weapons—more than 100 pistols and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition—remains active. Several senior officers and Eversley’s former colleagues have already been placed on administrative suspension pending the outcome of the probe. Coinciding with yesterday’s funeral, three suspects made their first court appearance on charges of Eversley’s murder and the weapons heist: Jivan “Bigs” Cooper, a serving TTMPS colleague; 20-year-old construction worker Kwame Arnold; and 24-year-old scrap iron dealer Nicholas “Nico” Ramdass, all residents of Claxton Bay.

Addressing mourners, San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris reflected on the tragic circumstances of Eversley’s killing, voicing deep lament over what he called a dangerous erosion of trust—even between professional colleagues—that has reshaped Trinidad and Tobago’s social fabric. “Somehow, Trinidad and Tobago is no longer the one I grew up in the 80s and 90s. We have veered away from family values, we cannot leave our back door open anymore. You cannot trust your own co-worker,” Parris said. He pledged full support to the police division and the San Fernando station to help the community recover and rebuild unity after the tragedy, vowing to assist investigators to secure a just resolution to the case. Parris also called for responsible discourse from social media users and ethical, measured reporting from journalists, and made a public commitment to stand by Eversley’s three children, promising they would not grieve alone.

Senior Superintendent Wayne Mohammed, head of the Municipal Police Division, delivered a heartfelt eulogy remembering Eversley as a skilled, capable officer who built deep, enduring bonds with her colleagues rooted in trust, camaraderie, and mutual respect. Mohammed emphasized that Eversley’s violent, untimely death in the line of duty has left an indelible mark on the TTMPS and the entire Trinidadian public. “We, the members of the Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service, unequivocally condemn this evil act, which stands in stark contrast to the values of decency and respect for human life,” Mohammed said. “But even in our grief and outrage, we must not lose sight of who Anuska was and what she represented. She stood for duty. She stood for courage. Her sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the risks borne daily by those who wear the uniform in service to others.” Beyond her professional service, Mohammed highlighted Eversley’s role as a devoted wife and loving mother, who is survived by her husband, a 6-year-old daughter, an 18-year-old daughter, and a 13-year-old son. “To them, she was not only a protector of the public but the heart of their home — their source of love, guidance, and strength,” he added.

Officiating Bishop Michael Brown acknowledged the raw, widespread pain of the loss, telling the gathered crowd Eversley was a woman who brought purpose, strength, and meaning to every space she entered. “Today is not an easy day. We are here because her life was taken suddenly. Her passing was not the quiet transition that we would have wished for. The hurt that we carry today is felt deeply in every heart gathered here,” Brown said. “Even in the midst of tragedy, we stand firm in this truth – no act of violence can silence the love she gave and the joy she shared, or the impact she made. Today, we do not focus only on the pain of her loss, but we stand here to recognise the power of her life. Take everything to God in prayer.”

Eversley’s brother, Jonathan Eversley, shared a warm, lighthearted memory from their childhood that drew soft smiles from the congregation, offering a moment of reprieve from collective grief. He shared that even in mourning, his family remains grateful for the years of love they shared with Anuska, noting that her greatest joy and legacy was her role as a mother. “Beyond the laughter and stories, her greatest role was being a mother. She poured her love, strength and dedication into her children. Everything she did with them in mind. That love and commitment will continue to live on through them. Today, we feel the weight of her absence deeply,” he said.

One of Eversley’s police academy batchmates, Figaro, reflected on her unwavering professionalism and commitment to camaraderie, remembering her as an officer who always carried out her duties with uncompromising integrity. Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Mystar—who currently leads the TTMPS after ACP Surendra Sagramsingh was placed on administrative leave following the incident—presented Eversley’s family with a framed portrait of the fallen officer and an official TTMPS flag.

After the conclusion of the funeral service, a solemn procession traveled along San Fernando’s Coffee Street to the Guides Funeral Home and Crematorium, led by Eversley’s family, followed by Mystar, Mohammed, other senior police leaders, and Mayor Parris. Photographer Dexter Philip captured images of the procession, which saw relatives carry Eversley’s casket through the streets to the final resting place.

A devastating early-morning road accident on Tobago’s Claude Noel Highway has claimed the lives of two local construction workers, leaving their tight-knit community in mourning and prompting renewed calls for cautious driving across the island.

The fatal incident unfolded just after 10 a.m. on Thursday, when the vehicle carrying the two men—identified as Shakka Rivers and Keyon “Sprang” Nimblett, both lifelong residents of Signal Hill, Tobago—careened out of control. According to Corporal Carva Vincent, public information officer for the Tobago Traffic Branch, Nimblett was behind the wheel traveling east when he attempted to swerve to avoid an oncoming approaching vehicle. The evasive maneuver sent the car spinning off the roadway, where it first struck a road traffic sign before colliding with a large tree along the highway’s southern shoulder. Witnesses and first responders reported the vehicle went fully airborne after losing control, and both men were pronounced dead at the crash site.

By the time recovery teams arrived to extract the victims’ bodies, grieving family members had already reached the scene. The two workers were close friends outside of their jobs, and their loved ones were inconsolable, with loud screams of grief echoing across the crash site as the bodies were removed.

For Rivers’ family, the accident comes on the heels of an already devastating period. Kyria Caton, Rivers’ brother, told local reporters he was at home when he received the urgent phone call about the crash. “To be honest, I start to cry and ask God how much more because just November we buried (our mother) and now my brother. It is overwhelming,” Caton said.

Nigel Taitt, the local area representative for Signal Hill Patience Hill and a close cousin of Rivers, was visibly shaken when he arrived at the scene. “Shakka is my cousin, my very close cousin and Sprang my very close friend so right now I am emotional and hurt because I was not expecting this news,” Taitt told reporters. “I must say condolences to the rest of the family, friends of the men but I am emotional and shaken up.”

In the wake of the crash, Corporal Vincent issued an urgent appeal to motorists across Tobago, emphasizing that excessive speed was a primary contributing factor in the double fatality. “There is no need for speed, speed is of paramount in most of these road traffic accidents which resulted in two persons dying because of speed. Take your time, you will reach where you have to go. If you have to reach a destination a certain time leave way before and take your time. Look we have persons now, families are mourning now for the death of these two individuals,” he said.

This latest crash brings Tobago’s total road fatalities for the current calendar year to four, underscoring ongoing concerns about road safety across the Trinidad and Tobago islands.

A fatal police shooting in a residential neighborhood near San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago has ignited public anger and calls for accountability after 45-year-old laborer Shivnath Jogie was killed by officers responding to a domestic altercation report early Sunday morning. The incident, which unfolded at Jogie’s home on Old Trainline Road in Corinth, has left family members, neighbors, and former law enforcement leaders questioning the necessity of the deadly force used, while police defend their officers’ actions as compliant with official protocols.

According to official statements from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), officers were dispatched to the area just after 1 a.m. at the request of emergency health services, who needed support responding to a reported wounding. First responders found 33-year-old Quesi Alfred, a local resident, suffering from a head wound inside a nearby home, and after providing initial care to Alfred, they received information that led them to Jogie’s residence a short distance away. The TTPS account claims that when officers arrived at Jogie’s home, he approached them menacingly while armed with a cutlass in one hand and a hammer in the other. Fearing for their immediate safety, officers followed use-of-force protocol and fired a single round that struck Jogie, who was quickly transported to San Fernando General Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

But Jogie’s family and local witnesses are telling a vastly different story, painting the incident as an unnecessary execution that violated Jogie’s right to defend his own property under Trinidadian law. Britney Francis, Jogie’s niece, told local reporters that the altercation that preceded the police response was not initiated by her uncle. She explained that Alfred had entered Jogie’s yard armed with a cutlass to confront him, and Jogie only acted in self-defense to disarm Alfred and chop him during the struggle. After the fight, Alfred returned to his own home and contacted authorities, not Jogie.

Francis has raised sharp questions about why officers resorted to lethal force so quickly, pointing to Trinidad and Tobago’s 2025 Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Act, which grants homeowners the legal right to stand their ground against intruders and use reasonable force—including deadly force when necessary—to protect themselves and their property. “This was an execution. It was a straight shot to his face,” Francis said. “If the police did their job properly, he might not have been dead today. They shot him in his face, a single gunshot wound.”

Neighbors who gathered at the scene on Monday echoed the family’s demands for a full, transparent investigation, describing the shooting as heartless, unjust, and out of proportion to the threat Jogie allegedly posed. One witness, who said he saw the confrontation unfold, called the incident a failure of policing, saying “it was traumatising to see someone getting killed in their own home for defending themselves.” Another long-time neighbor who knew Jogie for decades described him as a non-violent man who only became talkative when drinking, holding no grudges and presenting no danger to the community. “This is the first time that we have experienced something like this in his district. We want a proper investigation,” the resident said.

Francis also added her voice to growing calls for mandatory body cameras for all on-duty police officers, noting that camera footage would eliminate conflicting accounts of the incident and provide clear proof of exactly what transpired. “If there was footage to show exactly what had happened, it would save us from having questions and wasting time with ‘he said’ and ‘she said’, and to have proof of what took place,” she explained.

That call was echoed by former Trinidad and Tobago Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, who issued a scathing rebuke of current TTPS leadership on Facebook, blaming “backward and vindictive leadership” for the fatal outcome. During his tenure as commissioner, Griffith secured funding to equip all patrol officers with non-lethal force options including batons, pepper spray, and tasers, as well as body cameras to document all interactions with the public, creating a tiered use-of-force framework that allowed officers to respond proportionally to different threat levels. But Griffith claims current leadership has stored all of this non-lethal and recording equipment in a warehouse, rejecting the technology and minimum force policy out of malice and ignorance. “In this situation, if they were mandated to be equipped with what I provided, it would not have resulted in a death,” Griffith wrote. “But those in authority, out of malice and ignorance in embracing technology and minimum use of force, have decided to put the thousands of pepper spray, tasers, and body cameras in a warehouse. Well done.”

In its official statement, the TTPS reaffirmed that its officers acted within the bounds of existing use-of-force policy, and noted that all police-involved shootings are automatically subject to rigorous, thorough review per established legal and internal protocols. The service asked the public to remain calm while the active investigation moves forward, saying the case remains at a sensitive stage. As public pressure mounts for transparency, the investigation into Jogie’s death continues, with community leaders and the family waiting for answers about what really happened inside the Corinth home that early Sunday morning.

In the quiet neighborhood of Old Train Line in Corinth, a early-morning police response to a reported altercation has left a community in mourning and sparked urgent questions about the appropriate use of deadly force by law enforcement. Early Sunday morning, 45-year-old laborer Shivnath Jogie was fatally shot by officers inside his own residence, and pronounced dead shortly after arriving at San Fernando General Hospital.

According to initial official accounts from police, the team was dispatched to Jogie’s property around 1:30 a.m. to probe a report that Jogie had attacked a neighbor with a cutlass, inflicting chop wounds, during a dispute on his own land. During what police describe as a confrontation with the suspect, officers opened fire, striking Jogie. He was immediately transported to the regional hospital for emergency care, but medical staff were unable to save him.

However, Jogie’s family and neighbors have rejected the official narrative, pushing back hard on the circumstances that led to his death, and alleging that the encounter escalated unnecessarily and unjustly ended an innocent man’s life. Britney Francis, a relative of Jogie, has openly questioned why law enforcement resorted to lethal force when they arrived only to investigate a reported incident. Francis clarified that the incident prompting the visit was a dispute between Jogie and another resident on the street earlier that evening.

Francis has also raised a critical legal question rooted in Trinidad and Tobago’s 2025 Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Act, popularly referred to as the nation’s “Stand Your Ground” legislation. The law explicitly grants people on their own property the legal right to defend themselves without a duty to retreat, and permits the use of reasonable force — including lethal force — when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to protect their life or property from criminal harm. Francis questioned whether Jogie was within his legal rights to act in self-defense if he perceived a threat to his property.

In blunt terms, Francis described the shooting as an extrajudicial killing: “This was an execution. It was a straight shot to his face. If the police did their job properly, he might not have been dead today. They shot him in his face, a single gunshot wound.”

By Sunday morning, dozens of neighbors had gathered near Jogie’s home to express solidarity with his family and back their calls for a full, independent probe of the officers’ actions. One witness to the confrontation called the shooting a heartless, cruel injustice and a fundamental failure of policing. “It was traumatising to see someone getting killed in their own home for defending themselves,” the neighbor said.

Another long-time resident who has known Jogie since childhood described the fatal shooting as “unjust,” pushing back against any implication that Jogie was a habitually violent person. “I grew up with him and when he drink alcohol, he would talk plenty. He was not a violent guy at all, he didn’t keep no grudges. He was a good fella,” the resident said. “This is the first time that we have experienced something like this in his district. We want a proper investigation.”

In addition to calling for a full investigation, Francis also urged policy change, saying that mandatory body camera use for all police officers should be required to add transparency and accountability to law enforcement interactions. The community remains united in its demand that every detail of the shooting be brought to light to deliver justice for Jogie.