Schoolboy, 14, snatched outside home

THE 14-year-old son of a leading southern contractor was kidnapped in front of their San Fernando home on Sunday evening. The schoolboy’s abductors have since demanded $3 million for his safe release.

Christopher Tackorie, a Form Three student of St Benedict’s College, is the son of Lingburg Tackorie, proprietor of General Earth Movers Contractors, which is based near their Purcell Street, San Fernando home. The businessman is known to have been conducting several contracts in Guyana. Eyewitnesses told police that around 5 pm, Christopher unlocked the front gate of his home and was about to enter his yard when a silver-grey B13 Sentra, with two armed men, pulled up alongside him. One of the men alighted from the car, grabbed the young boy who started screaming for help and dragged him into the car which sped off. Relatives immediately telephoned San Fernando police who in turn contacted the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS). When Newsday visited the home yesterday, a relative said the family was speaking with the police and did not want to disclose any details with the media. The relative also refused to issue any photos of the teen to Newsday.

Police sources told Newsday that five months ago, Christopher’s father paid (Guy)$3 million to kidnappers who had abducted one of his employees in Guyana. The employee, Kenneth Baboolal, a foreman, was snatched while laying water pipes at Annadale Village, Guyana on March 28. Baboolal was subsequently released after the ransom was paid. When Newsday checked with teachers at St Benedict’s College for a photo of the teen, an official said relatives had asked the school not to release the boy’s photo. However, Newsday was told by the same school official that the photo was given to other media houses and on learning of this, Tackorie’s relatives were trying to contact those media houses to ask that the photo not be published, out of fear that the kidnappers would harm him, if his photo was published. Teachers described Tackorie as a quiet, intelligent student, who would not “harm a fly.” Up to late yesterday there was no word on the teen’s whereabouts. San Fernando police along with officers of the AKS are continuing investigations.