Doctor's son kidnapped by ‘Police'

THE SON of a St Clair doctor was one of two young people kidnapped early yesterday morning as the kidnapping spree continued in the country. One of the young men, identified as Benedict Bharath, was released sometime after the snatching, while Yves Ayoung Chee, 18, of Scott Street, St Clair, remained unaccounted for up to late evening.

Newsday understands that a ransom has been demanded for Ayoung Chee’s safe return, but family members as well as officers of the Anti Kidnapping Squad (AKS) have put up a wall of secrecy around the demand, saying things were at a sensitive stage. The missing teenager, said to be a former student of St Mary’s College, is the son of Dr Wilson Ayoung Chee, whose office is reportedly situated at the Scott Street residence. He is also a relative of former president of the San Fernando Hospital Doctors Association, Dr Phillip Ayoung Chee, who confirmed that he was related to the kidnap victim, but said he wanted to “remain out of the picture.” According to police reports, Ayoung Chee was driving his black Wrangler jeep around 5.20 am in the vicinity of Marli Street, Newtown.  He was in company with Bharath and Goodwood Park resident Nolan Cooper, a bartender at Club Coconuts, which the three men had earlier left.

Police said on reaching Marli Street, a siren was heard after which a black vehicle was seen.  Ayoung Chee is reported to have brought his jeep to a stop and two men alighted from the black vehicle. Senior police officers told Newsday that the two men identified themselves as police officers. They then snatched Ayoung Chee and Bharath and left Cooper behind.  Cooper made a report to the St Clair Police Station. Both he and Bharath have been interviewed by the police and Newsday understands that the latter was medically examined.  At the Scott Street residence, relatives refused to speak to the media or provide photos of the victim.  Telephone calls to the residence were met with several “no comments.” However, an employee of Pizza Hut, identified only as Shirwell, visited the house, saying he was a “good friend” of the family.  He was not allowed in the house, but spoke to a man briefly at the front gate.

Shirwell later told reporters that he was in company with Ayoung Chee and others at the Club Coconuts, but that he left them earlier because he was hungry. The issue of kidnappings has been an ongoing topic in the country and several business people have been threatening to leave the country because of a lack of security. Yesterday, acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs told Newsday he held a strategic meeting with members of his executive to discuss TT’s crime situation. At the “strategic meeting” were DCP Trevor Paul, acting DCP Glen Roach, ACPs Frank Diaz, Celestine Richards, Winston Cooper, Depchan Gosine, Nazamul Hosein, Oswyn Allard, acting ACP Curtis Lloyd, Sr Supt Gilbert Reyes and acting Sr Supt Nimrod of Homicide.