标签： Trinidad and Tobago

A high-profile demonstration in Port of Spain that drew national attention over a police-involved fatal shooting has ended in criminal charges for three organizers, who have since been granted bail ahead of their upcoming first court appearance.

The three individuals – protest lead Alyssa Phillip, her mother Camille Caresquero, and independent blogger Jason De Silva – were taken into custody by police on Wednesday during the demonstration, which was organized to show public support for Kaia Sealy. Sealy is currently facing criminal charges stemming from the January death of her common-law husband, Joshua Samaroo, who was killed during an interaction with police officers.

By 8 p.m. the following day, all three had been processed, charged, and released on their own recognizance, according to senior Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) sources. Contacted by local media outlet the Express shortly after her release, Phillip confirmed that the trio was free and en route to their homes to recover from the experience. “We have been released, but I will not make any official statement until I rest and recuperate,” Phillip told reporters, adding that all three were in good condition and their first court date is scheduled for Monday. De Silva separately confirmed his release in a live broadcast posted to his personal social media channel Friday evening. As of Friday night, TTPS had not released public details of the specific charges filed against the three protesters.

Speaking at an official press conference held Friday at the Port of Spain Police Administration Building, Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin defended law enforcement’s actions throughout the protest, outlining the framework that guided the arrests. Benjamin explained that TTPS officers had engaged directly with protest organizers in advance of the demonstration to lay out clear ground rules, framing the event as an approved silent protest with specific noise restrictions. “Even prior to the situation, the officers spoke with persons about the protest. The police ensured that we were there early enough and we spoke to those who were in charge, letting them know what is required,” Benjamin said. He clarified that the pre-agreed terms prohibited loud chants, amplified speech via loudspeakers, and other audible public communication that would violate the silent protest parameters. When the agreed-upon conditions were broken, Benjamin said, officers issued multiple formal warnings before moving to detain the organizers.

“These things were explained, and again, when persons started to violate those conditions, they were warned, and after being warned, actions were taken accordingly,” Benjamin added. He emphasized that TTPS leadership fully endorses the conduct of its officers in this incident, saying: “We believe that the actions of our officers were in keeping with the (Emergency Powers) Regulations and therefore we stand backing our officers that they acted fairly and professionally in this matter.”

Benjamin acknowledged the intense public emotion and widespread concern surrounding the Samaroo case and subsequent charges against Sealy, and reaffirmed TTPS’s commitment to upholding constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and free expression. At the same time, he stressed the service’s legal obligation to protect public order and enforce existing regulations fairly. “I want to say that we respect every citizen’s constitutional right to peaceful protest and the freedom of expression,” Benjamin said. “At the same time, the TTPS has a responsibility to maintain public order, ensure public safety, and enforce the laws fairly and professionally.”

He noted that all arrests were carried out in accordance with existing public safety laws and based on on-scene officer assessments of the developing situation. Addressing widespread public debate over the case, which has been fueled by the tragic circumstances of Samaroo’s death and the Director of Public Prosecutions’ decision to pursue charges against Sealy, Benjamin urged the public to avoid premature judgment as the case moves through the judicial system. “We understand this case has generated strong public reactions…however, we want to urge the public today—do not pre-judge this matter as it is now before the judicial process,” he said.

Benjamin reaffirmed TTPS’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and professional policing, and called for calm, law-abiding discourse around the case. He also issued an appeal to citizens to avoid spreading misinformation, using inflammatory language, or taking actions that could escalate community tensions and put public safety at risk. Citing Section 11 of the country’s Emergency Powers Regulations, Benjamin noted that the public has a responsibility to avoid actions that could undermine public safety. He concluded by outlining TTPS’s core balancing act in the case: upholding fundamental democratic rights while maintaining the security all citizens rely on. “Our priority as the TTPS is to ensure that our citizens remain safe. We want to ensure the protection of the democratic rights of all citizens and ensure the preservation of public confidence in the rule of law,” he said.

Last Friday, a routine traffic enforcement stop outside the Arima Magistrates’ Court in Trinidad and Tobago spiraled into a violent altercation that left a community divided and reignited long-simmering debates over police accountability and institutional reform. What began as a dispute over a fixed-penalty parking ticket quickly escalated, ending with a female police officer firing her weapon and the involved driver and her husband taken into custody. A full recording of the encounter, captured on the body-worn camera of a Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) estate constable, spread rapidly across social media platforms, drawing millions of views and thousands of public comments.

In the four-plus minutes of verified footage, the sequence of events unfolds clearly: the female officer first issues a parking ticket to the driver of a black van, informing her she has parked in a restricted no-parking zone and ordering her to move the vehicle. The driver immediately pushes back, claiming a different officer had explicitly directed her to stop in that exact spot. The disagreement draws a second officer to the scene, who begins negotiating with the driver. When the driver pulls out her smartphone to record the interaction and refuses to follow the officers’ order to surrender her driver’s license, the confrontation grows tenser. The driver’s husband exits the van to join the argument, and as officers continue pressing for her license, the driver restarts her van and attempts to pull away from the scene.

Officers moved to block the van and demanded she immediately turn off the engine. It was at this critical juncture that the female officer reached for the sidearm at her hip, and a single gunshot rings out on the recording. In the immediate aftermath of the discharge, officers at the scene can be heard discussing the accidental or intentional firing of the weapon. The couple was taken into custody shortly after the altercation ended.

Since the video went viral, social discourse has split sharply along two lines: some users have defended the officers’ actions, arguing the driver’s attempt to flee posed a legitimate safety threat that justified a show of force. Other observers, however, have questioned whether the use of a firearm was a proportional or necessary response to the situation, calling for a full independent investigation into the officer’s conduct.

The incident has also drawn commentary from senior former law enforcement leadership, who framed the encounter as a symptom of deeper systemic flaws in Trinidad and Tobago’s police oversight framework. Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith spoke publicly to local outlet *Express* on the incident, noting that reports of excessive police authority are not an anomaly, but a daily occurrence reported by citizens across the country. Griffith emphasized that most citizens who seek recourse for alleged police abuse turn to the local Police Complaints Authority (PCA), but the oversight body lacks the statutory authority to hold errant officers accountable.

Unlike the United States’ Internal Affairs units, which have the power to impose disciplinary action directly, Griffith explained the PCA is only permitted to conduct investigations into complaints. Even when the authority issues findings of misconduct, there is no legal requirement for the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to act on its recommendations, and the PCA often faces institutional pushback, with officers and department leadership refusing to cooperate with probes. Griffith also noted that the incident underscores why many factions within the TTPS have long opposed mandatory body-worn cameras for officers: the technology creates an immutable public record of conduct that makes covering up abuse of authority far more difficult.

A devastating and unusual workplace accident has cut short the life of a 19-year-old aspiring new parent in Kelly Village, Caroni, leaving a tight-knit community reeling from shock and grief. On Tuesday night, Dishun Joseph, a sanitation worker and resident of Claxton Bay, lost his life after being crushed under the wheels of a working garbage truck he had been assigned to. Joseph’s death leaves behind not only heartbroken relatives and friends, but also his four-month-pregnant girlfriend, who is now preparing to welcome their child without him.

Authorities have confirmed the fatal incident unfolded at approximately 9:15 p.m. on May 26, as Joseph carried out his routine collection duties alongside the truck operated by his employing sanitation company. Crucial CCTV footage from the scene has helped investigators piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragedy. The recording shows the truck moving in reverse along the local roadway when Joseph leaped from the still-moving vehicle, running a short distance to collect a stray garbage bag left at the curb. Within seconds, the truck made contact with the teenager, pulling him under its chassis and inflicting fatal injuries.

In the immediate aftermath of the accident, Joseph’s family reported receiving inconsistent, conflicting accounts of how their loved one died, prompting them to publicly push for full transparency from the company and local authorities. That call for clarity was answered when investigators shared the CCTV footage with family members, resolving confusion around the circumstances of the tragedy.

News of Joseph’s sudden passing has triggered a wave of shared sorrow across the region, with those closest to him remembering the young man as a hard worker committed to building a stable life for his expanding family. Investigations into the accident remain ongoing, led by officers from the Caroni Police Station under the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. Law enforcement sources have confirmed that the truck’s driver could ultimately face criminal charges connected to the fatal workplace incident.

As Muslims across Trinidad and Tobago prepare to mark one of Islam’s most sacred annual observances, the acting leader of one of the country’s largest Muslim religious organizations has amplified longstanding calls for the national government to grant Eid-ul-Adha official public holiday status. Imam Ahamad Hosein, acting president of the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association (ASJA), first publicly pushed for the designation in 2023, and he is reiterating his appeal this year to draw renewed government attention to what he calls a critical equity issue for the national Muslim community.

In an interview with local outlet the Express on the eve of this year’s Eid-ul-Adha celebration, Hosein laid out three core reasons why a nationwide public holiday is necessary to accommodate the country’s Muslim population. First, thousands of Trinidad and Tobago Muslims travel annually to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to complete the Hajj pilgrimage, which falls in alignment with Eid-ul-Adha. Second, while ASJA’s 15 educational institutions — which include two early childhood care and education centers, seven primary schools, and six secondary schools — already receive yearly approved holidays for the observance through the Ministry of Education, non-affiliated schools do not extend this accommodation to Muslim students. A 2026 memorandum dated April 16 from the Ministry of Education’s CEO confirmed that all ASJA schools would close for the 2026 Eid-ul-Adha observance, with regular operations resuming the following day. Third, Muslim workers across all private and public sector industries are currently forced to use accrued personal time off or forgo pay to attend congregational prayers at local mosques and complete the traditional qurbani (animal sacrifice) ritual, placing unnecessary financial and logistical burdens on the community. “Therefore, a national holiday for Eid-ul-Adha is necessary for ease and comfort for Muslims of Trinidad and Tobago,” Hosein emphasized.

Beyond calling for policy change, Hosein also used the occasion to explain the deeper spiritual meaning of Eid-ul-Adha, often translated as the Festival of Sacrifice. As the second major holy celebration in the Islamic calendar following Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the holiday traces its origins to the prophet Abraham’s test of faith from God, he explained. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Ishmael as a proof of devotion, both Abraham and Ishmael submitted unhesitatingly to the divine will. Only as Abraham prepared to carry out the command did God intervene, replacing Ishmael with a ram to be sacrificed instead.

Hosein stressed that the core meaning of the traditional qurbani sacrifice is often misunderstood. Citing verse 22:37 from the Holy Qur’an, which states “neither their meat nor blood reaches Allah, rather it is your piety that reaches Him”, he explained that the ritual is not centered on the slaughter of the animal itself. Instead, it calls on all believers to reflect on what they are willing to surrender to God: time, personal pride, comfort, and selfish desires. “True Eid comes when obedience to Allah outweighs everything else,” he said.

The holiday also creates a powerful global bond between all Muslims, regardless of whether they are able to complete the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Hosein added. The days of Dhul-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar when Eid-ul-Adha falls, are considered the most blessed days of the year for good deeds. Even believers observing the holiday at home are connected to the millions of pilgrims in Mecca through shared ritual, fostering a global sense of Islamic unity.

Hosein also reminded worshippers of the traditional rules for dividing qurbani meat, which mandate splitting the harvest equally into three portions: one for the worshipper’s immediate family, one for extended relatives and friends, and one for low-income and food-insecure community members. “Eid-ul-Adha reminds us that our celebration is incomplete if our neighbour is left hungry,” he said. Ultimately, he added, the holiday serves as an annual reminder that faith is demonstrated through action, not just words: it calls on believers to kill their own ego, reaffirm their devotion to God, and share the blessings they have received with those in need.

A shocking case of violent death has rocked a small Trinidadian community after an autopsy confirmed a 35-year-old man who begged police for help more than a day before his body was found was murdered. Adrian Peter Duff, a resident of Rodney Road in Las Lomas No 2, suffered a brutal death at the hands of an attacker, according to post-mortem results released this week.

The autopsy, carried out Monday at the country’s Forensic Science Centre located in Federation Park, reached a clear conclusion: Duff died from ligature strangulation, a fatal form of asphyxia that occurs when the neck is compressed with a cord, rope, wire or similar flexible object. Beyond the fatal strangulation, the examination also revealed the victim had been stabbed multiple times across his body.

Duff’s remains were recovered last Wednesday from the Caroni River, near Esperanza Road in Las Lomas No 3. Law enforcement investigators noted the body was positioned roughly two meters from the river’s western bank, lying face down in shallow water with its head fully submerged. When found, Duff was wearing a black jersey and black jeans, and a rope was bound around both his neck and feet. Forensic markers also recorded cuts on his forehead, right elbow, right wrist and left thumb.

The timeline of the tragedy began the previous Monday, when Duff placed an emergency call to the 999 response line. In that call, he told officers he had been attacked and chopped in a local cocoa field, and desperately needed urgent assistance. Immediately after the call went unanswered and Duff failed to return home, his friends and family launched their own independent search for him.

On Tuesday, searchers made a grim intermediate discovery: Duff’s bicycle had been burned, and a clear trail of blood could be traced from the site to the nearby riverbank. A full 36 hours after his original distress call for help, on May 20, searchers and authorities found his body.

In the aftermath of the gruesome discovery, Duff’s relatives say they are left with more questions than answers. The 35-year-old was widely known and well-loved across his tight-knit community, and family members say he had no known enemies or conflicts that would have put him at risk. Relatives added that Duff, who lived with epilepsy, was unmarried and had no children. He often made trips into the region’s forested areas to collect wild nuts and fruits, a routine activity that likely put him in the area where he was attacked.

A protest demanding transparency over the prosecution of Kaia Sealy — a woman charged in the January police-involved shooting death of her common-law husband Joshua Samaroo — ended in the detention of three people, including the demonstration’s lead organizer Alyssa Phillip, in downtown Port of Spain on Wednesday.

Just minutes before police took her into custody near the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office on Richmond Street, Phillip told reporters: “The only weapon we have are our voices. And that is the weapon that they are afraid of the most.” As officers led her to a police vehicle, she shouted defiantly to the crowd, “This is not the end of the fight!”

The other two people detained include well-known local blogger and influencer Jason De Silva, and Phillip’s mother Camille Caresquero. Police have not yet confirmed whether Caresquero was formally arrested or accompanied her daughter voluntarily. As of Wednesday evening, all three were held at Port of Spain’s Central Police Station, and law enforcement sources had not announced any formal charges against the detainees.

The protest unfolded against a pre-existing warning from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) issued on Tuesday that barred public gatherings outside the DPP office. Despite the order, demonstrators began assembling shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday.

De Silva was the first protester detained. After multiple verbal warnings from officers over his conduct, he continued questioning whether the police response aligned with democratic standards, accusing law enforcement of “weaponising the State against citizens.” When De Silva attempted to leave the area, a team of senior officers led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Garvin Henry and Senior Superintendent Baird moved to arrest him. Video and on-site photos captured De Silva dropping to his knees, raising his hands, and repeating the phrase “hands up, don’t shoot” before officers removed him from the site.

As more protesters arrived, many told on-site reporters they were shocked arrests began before the demonstration even fully got underway. Law enforcement responded by deploying large numbers of officers from multiple specialized units, including riot police, with Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin spotted coordinating with senior leadership at the scene.

When the crowd grew to roughly 50 people gathered on the adjacent sidewalk, ACP Henry first approached Caresquero to issue an order: the group had to clear the sidewalk for public passage and stop loud chanting that constituted a public disturbance. Caresquero agreed and relayed the warning to other protesters. When Phillip arrived shortly after, Henry repeated the instructions and ordered the entire group to move further down the street, away from the DPP building. The crowd complied, relocating to the front of Sacred Heart Catholic Church at the intersection of Sackville and Richmond streets.

By this point, riot police had blocked Richmond Street and diverted vehicle traffic toward Charles Street. After gathering at the new location, the crowd opened with a prayer before launching into chants, including calls for the resignation of Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, and slogans condemning TTPS actions in the Samaroo case.

ACP Henry approached the group a second time to reissue warnings about blocking the sidewalk and loud chanting, noting that under the country’s current state of emergency, unsanctioned public assembly was prohibited. Movement for Social Justice leader David Abdulah attempted to mediate the standoff, but officers proceeded with enforcement.

Phillip then read a prepared statement to the crowd, growing visibly emotional before she began loudly leveling accusations against the police service. It was at this point that Henry signaled for her arrest. When Senior Superintendent Baird moved to detain Phillip, Caresquero grabbed her daughter to stop officers, leading police to escort both women to a waiting police vehicle on Sackville Street. Protesters followed, chanting “shame” in condemnation of the law enforcement action.

Riot officers then formed a linked human blockade with batons across the street, ordering the crowd to disperse on three separate occasions. When protesters did not leave, officers advanced to push the entire group — including one young child accompanying their mother — back to Richmond Street. After the forced dispersal, the protesters agreed to relocate to Port of Spain’s Woodford Square, where they held a short prayer before disbanding. Police were quick to follow the crowd to Woodford Square, but officers observed no further unrest and no additional arrests were made.

Wednesday’s demonstration stems from the controversial decision to charge Sealy with manslaughter over Samaroo’s death, alongside three counts of shooting at police officers and multiple firearms-related offenses. The case has sparked fierce national debate in Trinidad and Tobago after leaked video footage emerged earlier this year showing police opening fire on the vehicle Samaroo and Sealy were occupying following a high-speed chase through St Augustine on January 20. Samaroo was killed in the shooting, while Sealy survived but was left paralyzed. Her family reports she is currently in the United States receiving ongoing medical treatment for her injuries.

A high-profile missing child case in Tobago has taken a tragic turn, as 24-year-old Shannon Miller, a resident of Goodwood, has been formally charged with the murder of two-year-old Angelo Tobias Plaza, his stepson. Angelo’s body has yet to be recovered, more than six months after he was first reported missing from his home.

The case dates back to the evening of May 11, when two-year-old Angelo vanished from his residence on Cambridge Trace in Goodwood. Local authorities received the missing person report at approximately 7:30 p.m. that same night, launching an extensive multi-agency search effort that drew resources from across the island. Police officers, members of the national Defence Force, and Coast Guard teams led the operation, with critical logistical and on-the-ground support from the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the volunteer Hunters Search and Rescue Team (HSRT). The search spanned land, coastal waters, and airspace surrounding Goodwood and neighboring communities, yielding no clues for the first six days of the operation.

On May 17, investigators received an anonymous tip suggesting the young child’s body had been dumped at the Studley Park landfill in the days after Mother’s Day. Search teams immediately redirected their efforts to the massive waste site, but after days of systematic searching, Angelo still was not located.

After months of ongoing investigation, law enforcement authorities brought Miller in for formal processing last Saturday. The charge came only after investigators held a case review meeting with a specialist legal advisor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to assess the evidence collected throughout the probe. In an official public statement on the case, police confirmed that a full detailed review of all gathered evidence led to legal guidance confirming there was sufficient proof to move forward with criminal murder charges against Miller.

Miller made his first virtual court appearance on Monday before Scarborough Magistrate’s Court Master Shabanna Shah. During the hearing, the defendant was formally notified of the indictable murder charge against him, but the court did not request him to enter a plea at this early stage of the legal process. The case has been adjourned until November 30, when a preliminary sufficiency hearing will be held to determine if the evidence against Miller meets the legal threshold to proceed to a full trial.