A Piparo couple was granted bail with a surety when they appeared before Justice of the Peace (JP), Boodlal Balkaran, on Wednesday 26th January 2022, charged with fraudulent use of an ABM card.

The accused, Vishnu Banan, 30, of Pascal Road, Piparo, was granted $75,000 bail after he was charged with thirty-four (34) counts of fraudulent use of an ABM card, in sums totaling $62,800. Amelia Banan, 23, of the same address, was granted $50,000 bail after she was charged with two (2) counts of fraudulent use of an ABM card in sums totaling $5,000. The two (2) accused are expected to appear before a Chaguanas Magistrate on Tuesday 22nd February 2022.

According to Police reports, in January 2020, joint holders of a bank account reported discovering a discrepancy when they checked the balance on their account. After receiving information from their bank, it was discovered that during the period 31st October 2019 and 10th January 2020, a quantity of cash was allegedly withdrawn from the account by use of an ABM card. The holders of the account did not conduct such transactions, nor did they authorize anyone to do the same.

W/Cpl (Ag.) Kissoonsingh of the Southern Division Fraud Squad conducted investigations into the matter, and as a result, Amelia and Vishnu Banan were arrested and charged with the offences on Wednesday 26th January 2022.

The exercise was co-ordinated by Snr. Supt. Arlet Groome, Supt. Rueben and supervised by Insp. Bachoo, Sgt. Seepersad and included Cpl (Ag.) Mohammed and PC Jemmet of the Fraud Squad - South Office.

Homicide Investigators now believe the brazen double-murder at South Park in broad daylight on Thursday (27th January 2022) was the result of a well-planned execution, meant to silence a gang member who had information that could have assisted Police in solving at least four (4) murders.

The gang member, Malik Straker, also known as ‘M1’ and ‘Molly,’ 31, of Wallerfield, Arima, also had pending Court matters for several serious crimes. Straker, along with Joel Chambers, 29, of Morvant had no way of escaping when gunmen pulled up in a Volkswagen Jetta and opened fire on their silver AD wagon, in which they seated in the car park of South Park. Both men were in the front seats. High-powered guns were used by the killers and so far, no eyewitnesses have come forward — even though the Mall is a high-traffic area.

Police believe that Straker had vital information about last year’s murders of Kareem Walters, also known as ‘Pinto Boss’ and ‘Crime Boss’ of Pinto Road in Arima, Gabriel Mitchell, 25, of Pinto Road, Kelvin Gordon, 40, of Arima, and Marcus ‘Papa’ Thomas of Valencia.

Guardian Media was told by Police that Straker had pending matters at the Arima and Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court for kidnapping for ransom, false imprisonment, attempted murder, possession of ammunition and firearm, robbery with aggravation, malicious woundings and common assault.

Meanwhile, the other man who was killed, Chambers, was charged in 2018 for malicious damage, marijuana trafficking, dangerous driving, driving without a Driver’s Permit and without a certificate of insurance.

Amateur video circulated on social media on Thursday, showing persons peeping through the bullet-riddled windows, trying to figure out how many bodies were inside the wagon, before Police arrived on the scene.

Several other vehicles were in the car park at the time of the terrifying incident, however, there were no reports of damage to the other vehicles or injury to anyone else in the car park.

A man who was parked about two (2) cars away, told reporters he had left his car about ten (10) minutes before the shooting. He said he arrived at the Mall around 11:45am and went to the gym. Having heard the loud explosions inside the gym, he did not think they were gunshots at the time.

The man explained, “We heard it in the gym but we did not know that it was bullets, most of us thought it was just a tire that had burst, until, I was next to the mirror and I see a guy running along the side of South Park screaming bullets, bullets.”

He continued, “I was surprised because is not like is in the night or is not around people, is in South Park, around so much people. And, apparently no one saw it but that’s just so hard to believe because it is a pretty densely populated area, people working in the stores, people going to the gym in and out always hustling, walking all around the place. Is more of a shock than anything that people so brazen.” The man had to wait approximately two (2) hours before he was allowed to leave the car park, as Police were processing the scene.

Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce President, Kiran Singh, expressed concern over the brazen murders. He said, “The business community was certainly alarmed to hear of this recent shooting where two male individuals were murdered in broad daylight in the South Park car park. Of course it doesn’t auger well in the confidence of the business community with customers shopping and so on. We know the TTPS continues to do an extremely good job with restricting serious crimes and petty crimes in the South Western district and the Southern Division.”

Singh added, “We wish for these criminal elements to continue to stay where they are from and not to filter down to the districts of the southern region.”

Meanwhile, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello also expressed his concerns, saying the safety of citizens, children and families in a shopping area must be priority. He noted, “As the Mayor, while I do not have the solution to this problem, I will do my best to ensure safety and security for our citizens. I am going to ask that the owners of the shopping malls including C3, Gulf City Mall, and South Park Mall meet with us, the TTPS and Municipal police next week to prevent another occurrence of incidents such as these. We must tell the criminals do not use San Fernando as a meeting point. Do not use San Fernando as an execution point. When we look at those two men who were killed today they are not from San Fernando. Obviously, it was an arrangement for them to meet in a popular spot for this act to be carried out.”

Officers of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region 3 are investigating the incident and have sought out nearby CCTV footage to assist.

[Source: CNC3]

UPDATE 2: Dead are Joel Chambers of Almond Drive in Morvant as well as Malik Straker of Arima. Multiple bullet holes were seen at the passenger side window and the windscreen of the silver AD wagon. The victims were seen slouched on the driver and passenger side of the vehicle when Police arrived on the scene.

UPDATE: Below is another view from the crime scene at South Park.

According to reports, a brazen shooting incident at South Park in San Fernando a short while ago (Thursday 27th January 2022) has left at least two (2) persons dead.

The victims were allegedly in a parked silver AD Wagon in the car park near Courts at South Park, shortly before Noon, when a blue Volkswagon Jetta pulled up beside them and the occupants opened fire.

Police said the wagon was riddled with at least twenty (20) bullet holes. Several spent shells, including of 5.56 calibre, were recovered at the scene.

Officers from the Southern Division as well as Fire Officers are currently on the scene. The identities of the victims are not available at this time.

This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.

[Source: CNC3]

Sixty-five (65) persons were charged after Officers of the Coastal and Riverine Patrol Unit (CRPU) intercepted a ‘party boat’ at sea on Monday 3rd January 2022.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), around 11pm on Sunday 2nd January 2022, members of the CRPU embarked on an operation in the Western Peninsular. The team maintained surveillance while at Alcan Bay, Chaguaramas, during which time they observed several vehicles entering the area. The Officers observed both adult males and females exiting from the vehicles while dressed in what appeared to be clothing for a party. The said persons then boarded a pirogue at different intervals which was making trips to an unknown location at sea.

Police later observed a white 44-square-foot catamaran boat, sailing West of Pt. Gourde with a large group of persons onboard being served drinks and dancing to music. The Captain of the vessel was instructed to stop. Officers then went aboard the vessel, which was then taken to the Coast Guard Headquarters at Staubles Bay.

With the assistance of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard personnel, a search of the vessel was conducted, where sixty-five (65) persons were discovered onboard. Also, in a stairwell compartment, a Sig Sauer pistol fitted with a magazine containing ten (10) rounds of 9-millimetre ammunition was seized.

All persons onboard the vessel were conveyed to the Carenage Police Station, where they were interviewed and released pending further investigations.

The TTPS notes that, having conducted further investigations, all sixty-five (65) persons were charged with breach of gathering in excess of ten (10) persons, contrary to the Public Health Ordinance Regulations 2021. The Captain of the vessel, along with a female suspect, were also charged for holding a public party contrary to Regulation 4(1) (b) of the Public Health Ordinance Regulation 2021, Section (3). Further instructions were received to charge all sixty-five (65) persons by way of summons.

Investigations are continuing into the matter.

UPDATE: Below is video from the scene, shortly after Girob’s body was found at the beach.

According to reports, the body of missing 30-year-old Vanna Girob has been found in Tobago during a search for her. She was reported missing to the Shirvan Road Police Station after going for a walk in Arnos Vale, Tobago, at 9am on Tuesday (25th January 2022).

Girob was said to have traveled to Tobago over the weekend in order to spend time with her aunt at a Villa in Arnos Vale, following the recent death of her grandmother. She was last seen wearing a green and grey sweater, and green and blue pants. Reports indicate that some of her clothing was found, folded neatly, on a trail near the property, prior to the discovery of her body.

A missing persons report was issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) earlier today (Wednesday 26th January 2022), which stated that Girob lived in Butu Road, Valsayn South, Trinidad.

Girob’s brother, Dillon Girod, who is also in Tobago, previously said to the media, "My sister was dealing with distress after our grandmother died last month. She came to my aunt's Villa in Tobago to spend time with my aunt and uncle. But my aunt called and asked that we come for her. This has never happened before. We saw her on Tuesday morning and we were on the property but somehow she left without being seen. Since then we have not seen her."

Police are said to be at the scene at the beach in Arnos Vale where Girob's body was found.

The cause of her death has not yet been ascertained and investigations are ongoing.

This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.

[Source: Newsday]

A 33-year-old woman was granted bail in the sum of $60,000 with a surety, when she appeared before Justice of the Peace (JP), Stephen Young, on 22nd January 2022, charged with cruelty to a child.

The accused is expected to appear before a Port-of-Spain Magistrate on 11th February 2022, to answer to the charge.

According to a Police report, a relative of the victim stated that on Wednesday 12th January 2022, the minor was at home with her mother, who allegedly became upset when the child told her father that she had not eaten for two (2) days. The woman allegedly grabbed the girl by her neck causing bruises. She then attempted to hit the child with a bench which resulted in the child sustaining bruises on her hand.

PC Kiel Castle of the Child Protection Unit in the North Eastern Division conducted an investigation into the matter, which resulted in the arrest and subsequent charge of the 33-year-old unemployed woman with the offence of Cruelty to a Child.

Investigations were supervised by W/Supt. (Ag.) Claire Guy-Alleyne, ASP (Ag.) Roberts, Insp. (Ag.) Lopez, Sgt. (Ag.) Banwarie and W/Cpl (Ag.) Peters-Wilson.