博客

The murder of Sylvan ‘Lawah’ Boodan, a 58-year-old businessman from Jeffers Crossing, Tabaquite Road, has left the community of Rio Claro in shock. Boodan was fatally shot on the morning of November 3 at R. Baldeosingh Services Ltd (RBSL), a construction company along San Pedro Road, Poole Village. While police investigators have yet to determine a motive, relatives suspect the killing may be linked to an unresolved obeah debt.

Boodan, who owned Gloria Bar on the ground floor of his residence, also worked as a straightener and painter at RBSL. Reports indicate that on the day of the incident, he was called out by name by a man near his car. After a brief exchange, a single gunshot was heard, and the gunman fled the scene. Boodan collapsed and died in front of his car.

A relative revealed that the family believes the murder could be connected to a dispute involving unpaid services to an ‘obeah man’ earlier this year. The dispute reportedly began in July when the alleged spiritual advisor claimed Boodan owed money for services performed against a woman. The woman allegedly reported an ‘obeah death threat’ to the police in August but did not receive a receipt for her complaint.

Boodan lived on the same compound with his ex-wife, Gloria, and other relatives. The couple, who were divorced, had no children together. Their divorce settlement was finalized in court on September 26. Relatives described Boodan as a hardworking and respected man with no known enemies in the area.

A villager who witnessed the aftermath of the shooting reported seeing a masked man running along San Pedro Road with what appeared to be a gun. The villager expressed disappointment that police did not immediately pursue the suspect. Officers later conducted a search but failed to locate the killer.

Residents of San Pedro expressed disbelief over the incident, stating that such violence is uncommon in their community. Investigations by the Rio Claro police station, Eastern Division units, and the Homicide Bureau of Investigations (Region II) are ongoing.

A recent survey conducted by the Fathers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago (TFATT) has unveiled startling statistics regarding paternity tests, prompting renewed calls for mandatory DNA testing before the issuance of child maintenance orders. The findings, disclosed at a media conference held on November 3 at Computer Tech and Services in Couva, revealed that nearly one-third of paternity tests conducted over the past five years at a judiciary-approved laboratory showed that the alleged father was not biologically related to the child.

A legal dispute involving a Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) staff sergeant has escalated to the Court of Appeal, following a 2023 High Court ruling that dismissed his challenge against the Chief of Defence Staff’s (CDS) decision to block his promotion. Staff Sergeant Russell Reyes contends that Justice Nadia Kangaloo erred in her judgment, arguing that the CDS overstepped legal boundaries by rejecting a recommendation for his promotion to Warrant Officer Class II. Reyes maintains that the disciplinary infraction cited against him was a “spent” conviction and should not have influenced the decision, as it was no longer part of his service record under military law. He also highlighted an unreasonable delay in addressing the disciplinary matter, which further complicated his case. Reyes first challenged the CDS’s decision in 2022, filing a judicial review application with a certificate of urgency, as he was nearing his mandatory retirement date of January 25, 2023. Had he succeeded, he would have remained in the Defence Force until 2026. However, Justice Kangaloo ruled in October 2023 that Reyes was still under probation when his disciplinary reprimand expired, rendering him ineligible for promotion. She also affirmed that the CDS acted within his authority to deny the promotion in the operational interest of the TTDF. In his appeal, Reyes argued that the judge miscalculated key dates and misinterpreted the CDS’s authority under the Defence Act. He emphasized that his severe reprimand, imposed in March 2021, was “spent” by November 2021, months before his promotion recommendation in early 2022. Reyes is seeking to have the High Court’s ruling overturned, reinstatement to the rank of Warrant Officer Class II, or compensation for lost pay and benefits. His attorney, Arden Williams, argued that the CDS unlawfully intervened in the promotion process, which is an administrative function under the Defence Force Act. Williams also questioned whether the CDS was acting as the designated officer for the Defence Council, which oversees the TTDF’s command, administration, and discipline. The Appeal Court judges have requested additional submissions on the presumption of regularity regarding the CDS’s actions, with a ruling expected after further consideration.