标签： Trinidad and Tobago

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has reached an advanced stage in its investigation into the controversial police-involved shooting that resulted in the death of Joshua Samaroo and left Kaia Sealy with paralysis injuries. Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro confirmed that investigative files are being prepared for submission to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), pending only the final forensic report.

Commissioner Guevarro, speaking during a televised interview with TV6, emphasized the thoroughness of the ongoing investigation and pledged public transparency once the process reaches completion. “The investigative file is now in a state of readiness for the TTPS to return to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Roger Gaspard,” Guevarro stated. “However, we are currently awaiting the final report from the Forensic Science Centre before submitting the complete file for further direction.”

The January 20 incident, which was captured on viral video footage, shows police officers pursuing Samaroo and his wife before their vehicle crashed into a drain in St. Augustine. The subsequent shooting, which left Samaroo deceased and Sealy paralyzed, has sparked significant public outrage and intensified scrutiny regarding police use of force protocols.

Multiple investigations are currently underway, with parallel probes being conducted by the Professional Standards Bureau and the Police Complaints Authority. The Commissioner’s previous decision not to suspend the involved officers—instead providing them with counseling—had drawn criticism from both the public and the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

In related developments, police authorities are monitoring circulating information about planned protests outside various police stations seeking justice for Samaroo and Sealy. Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police for the North West Division Garvin Henry confirmed that a promotional flier had come to police attention, listing over 15 police stations—including the Red House and Police Administration Building—as potential protest sites.

Henry noted that thorough checks with relevant authorities revealed no official applications for protest permissions. “I have reached out to stations including those in the Western Division to determine whether any application has been made,” Henry stated, adding that no such permissions had been granted for protests allegedly scheduled for upcoming months.

While acknowledging that the current state of emergency does not explicitly prohibit protest action, Henry emphasized that any demonstrations must follow proper procedures outlined in the Summary Offenses Act. The Act requires formal application, investigation, and final approval from the Commissioner of Police. Henry warned that unauthorized protests would be handled “in accordance with the law” to maintain public order and safety.

Trinidad and Tobago’s national Carnival 2026 celebrations concluded with a perfect safety record regarding child protection incidents, according to official Senate testimony. Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander revealed that six children were formally reported as separated, lost, or missing during the festivities, with all successfully reunited with their families within approximately one hour of official police notification.

The disclosure came in response to questioning from Independent Senator Dr. Desirée Murray during Tuesday’s Senate session, which sought detailed information about child safety protocols during mass public events. Minister Alexander elaborated on the sophisticated response framework that enabled these efficient reunifications, highlighting immediate officer engagement, supervisory notifications, coordinated search procedures, and secure temporary holding arrangements as key components.

Notably, the minister confirmed that no formal psychosocial counseling services were required following these incidents, as all children were unified safely without reported injuries or trauma. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) maintains comprehensive statistical records of such occurrences at both divisional and Operational Command Centre levels, enabling continuous monitoring and protocol refinement.

Internal analysis identifies specific risk patterns: separation incidents occur most frequently during high-density crowd events, peak festive hours, and predominantly involve children under 12 years old. Minister Alexander emphasized the TTPS’s rigorous screening and vetting processes to ensure secure reunifications, operating under established protocols embedded within multiple regulatory frameworks including Public Order Policing Protocols, Carnival Operational Plans, and Child Protection Procedures developed in coordination with specialized social services agencies.

These comprehensive measures undergo annual reviews as part of structured operational planning cycles for national events, with additional assessments triggered by any significant incidents requiring procedural adjustments.

In a development that intensifies concerns over organized crime violence, Rondell Adolphus, a quarry supervisor with known gang affiliations, was assassinated at a Matura resort just ten days after the killing of his employer, former state of emergency detainee Danny Guerra. The 34-year-old, also known as “Patch” or “Ponkie,” was shot multiple times late Monday night under circumstances mirroring the tactical precision of a professional hit.

According to police reports, Adolphus had checked into Trini River Lime Resort alone approximately at 1 a.m. and was later joined by a female companion. The attack occurred when he exited his cabin to retrieve ice from a nearby machine. His companion reported hearing multiple gunshots before discovering Adolphus lying in a pool of blood. Despite emergency response efforts, he was pronounced dead before paramedics could arrive.

Crime scene investigators recovered substantial ballistic evidence, including ten spent .223 shell casings, one live .223 round, and five spent 9mm shell casings, indicating the involvement of multiple firearms and potentially multiple assailants.

Both Adolphus and Guerra had been previously detained under November 2022’s state of emergency measures pursuant to the Anti-Gang Act of 2021. Official detention orders identified Adolphus as a member of an Organized Crime Group involved in arms trafficking, money laundering, and illegal quarrying operations. The order specifically cited intelligence indicating the group’s plans to assassinate a government minister and escalate public violence using high-powered firearms.

While police have not formally connected the two killings, investigators acknowledge both victims were linked to threats against Defense Minister Wayne Sturge. The minister has faced multiple security incidents since last year, including a July 29, 2022, attack where his convoy was ambushed with rocks in Wallerfield, and an August 9, 2022, incident where security details drew weapons on a suspicious vehicle approaching the minister’s car.

The killings have generated widespread concern among those associated with Guerra’s operations, with several relatives avoiding his March 19 funeral due to safety fears. Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander has publicly urged against speculation while appealing for credible information to assist ongoing investigations led by Region 2 Homicide investigators.

A pre-dawn shooting in Penal has left three young men dead, including the 17-year-old son of deceased Port of Spain businessman Cedric “Burkie” Burke. The victims—Jordan Cudjoe Burke, Ishmael Matthews (22), and Roberto Samuel Carlos (21)—were discovered in a blood-soaked bedroom of a ground-floor apartment on the Burke family property around 2:56 a.m. Tuesday.

According to police reports, the scene revealed a brutal execution-style killing with ten spent nine-millimeter shells and twelve live rounds recovered near the bodies. Burke was found leaning against a bed base, Matthews lay on his back on the floor, and Carlos was positioned beneath the bed.

The tragedy has left families grappling for answers. A relative of Burke, who requested anonymity, recounted receiving a frantic call from Burke’s girlfriend screaming “Come fast, they shooting up the place.” She dismissed speculation that Burke was targeted because of his father’s notorious reputation, noting that other children from the family live normal lives without incident.

Burke, a Form Five student at St. Benedict’s College preparing for CSEC examinations, had recently faced legal troubles involving counterfeit money charges. His mother has been incarcerated since November on firearm possession allegations, leaving the teenager to reside with his grandmother.

At Matthews’ home, aunt Marinda Yearwood described the three victims as “the three Musketeers—always together.” She revealed Matthews was an academically gifted student who had earned nine subjects with distinction at Shiva Boys’ College but struggled to find steady employment despite numerous applications.

Yearwood expressed frustration about rampant youth unemployment and lack of opportunities, stating “The Government is not giving enough opportunities for youths coming off the block.” She acknowledged hearing rumors about the victims “doing mischief by some people” but emphasized that nothing warranted execution.

Homicide Bureau detectives from Region Three are actively investigating and have appealed for information through emergency hotlines and Crime Stoppers. The case highlights ongoing concerns about youth violence and socioeconomic challenges in Trinidadian communities.

A concerned relative of two missing teenage sisters from Princes Town is urging the government to implement stringent restrictions on minors’ access to social media platforms, citing grave dangers posed by unsupervised online activity. The appeal follows the disappearance of Celina Balliram, 15, and her sister Alena Baksh, 12, from their grandmother’s home in St. Croix last Friday.

The girls were last observed around 8:45 a.m. departing to purchase doubles from a local vendor. After their failure to return nearly two hours later, family members alerted authorities. Police descriptions detail Celina as 4’5″ with brown complexion, medium build, long black hair, brown eyes, and last seen in a blue short dress with black netting. Alena is described as 5′ tall with light brown complexion, slim build, long black hair, grey eyes, and was wearing a white crop top with a black short skirt.

In an anonymous telephone interview, the relative expressed conviction that the sisters were deliberately targeted by older males through their active Instagram profiles. ‘The Government should impose a complete ban on social media for children,’ she asserted. ‘They are exposed to predatory individuals who conceal their identities behind false profiles. These platforms enable adults to systematically target vulnerable youth.’

The relative revealed this marks the third disappearance incident for Celina, each spanning approximately two months, though notably the first for Alena. Despite attempted communication via WhatsApp, the sisters reportedly responded with hostility before blocking family contacts. Their father’s recent imprisonment for robbery and their mother’s inability to provide care have compounded familial challenges, leaving the grandmother to manage the household while simultaneously caring for her bedridden daughter and the sisters’ younger siblings, aged five and eight.

Neither sister has attended school since Carnival period. Celina was enrolled in Form Two at Princes Town West Secondary School, while Alena attended Standard Four at St. Stephen’s Anglican Primary School. The relative emphasized the grandmother’s overwhelmed circumstances and appealed directly for the sisters’ safe return.