Eight kidnappings for ransom this year

Senior officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad yesterday expressed concern over the increase in kidnappings during the past two weeks. They said the situation had reached an alarming state and blamed Government for reneging on a promise to increase the squad’s manpower and to provide the state-of-the-art equipment and resources required to effectively deal with kidnappings. Last year, three officers of the American Federal Bureau of Investigations trained AKS officers in dealing with organised crime. Recently, Government boasted that kidnappings decreased by 26.6 percent between 2003 and 2004. This was described as the second most significant shift among the serious crimes reported for the 2003 and 2004 period.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Jennifer Boucaud Blake, said the Ministry of National Security invested its 2005 increased budgetary allocation in critical areas, in order to alleviate the level of crime and the fear pervading the country. She promised additional strengthening of the AKS along the lines of training, equipment and personnel expansion. Concerned relatives of kidnap victims told Newsday they found it strange that ransoms were paid and no arrests were made by the police. AKS officers are placed at the homes of kidnap victims to monitor calls and conduct negotiations. Records revealed that in almost every kidnapping where ransoms were paid, no arrests were made by the police.

“How come the police are privy to all the information, yet they do not set up sting operations to arrest people who collect the ransom,” said a relative of a man who was kidnapped and released after a ransom was paid. Eight persons have been kidnapped between January 1 and yesterday and ransoms were demanded for seven. During March, three persons were kidnapped and two of the victims are still in the hands of abductors. Chris Elves, 35, who was kidnapped from his Curepe home in February, is still in captivity. Police believe he may have been killed, although his body has not been found.

On Friday, Westmoorings businesswoman Tamen Abraham, 60, was snatched around 6 am while jogging with a friend. On Friday, Robin Ramadhar, 42, was kidnapped while liming with friends at Curry House Restaurant and Bar. Reports revealed that four men snatched Ramadhar. On Friday night, Maraval Vet Azizmul Rahaman was released unharmed after spending four days with abductors. No ransom was demanded for his release. Biche businessman Azzizool Baksh, who was kept for ten days by his abductors, was released in Cumuto on Friday after relatives reportedly paid more than $250,000 for his release. In January, Robert Maharaj, Rupert Ramjattan and Ramkanath Parry were kidnapped. They were all freed.