Father of seven gunned down

THE murder rate in this country rose from 83 to 86 in five hours, following the killing of three men in separate incidents on the weekend. Arouca father of seven, Nathaniel “Junior” Ramsoobhag was gunned down early yesterday morning a short distance from his home, hours after URP employee Don Fitzgerald Simons, 39, was himself shot dead while walking near his Mc Shine Street, Laventille Road home. The third murder took place in Sangre Grande on Saturday night where a man was shot dead while riding a bicycle.

In the incident involving Ramsoobhag, police sources said that around 3.30 am the 32-year-old man was standing outside Korna Joint — a small cafe located at the corner of Royal Promenade Road when two gunmen confronted him. An argument broke out, sources said, with the gunmen firing several shots at Ramsoobhag who was struck in the head, neck and shoulder. Death was instantaneous. Police visited two homes in Arouca where they seized two guns believed used in the  murder. Several rounds of ammunition were also seized and two men are currently assisting police in their investigations. An autopsy is to be carried out on Ramsoobhag’s body today.

When Newsday visited the deceased man’s Boundary Road, Arouca home his common-law wife Nola Charles was in a state of shock. Through her tears she said the final judgment for her husband’s killers was in the hands of the Almighty. “Junior was a wonderful man and father. His one problem was his wildness and sweet tongue which we were working on,” Charles said. “I was at home relaxing when Junior left saying he will return soon. The next time I saw him he was dead,” Charles added.

Visiting the scene were ACP Randolph Protain, Snr Supt Farouk Ghany, ASP Derrick Trim, Insp Daniel, Sgt Ashby, Cpl Winston, PC Petty and others. Cpl Winston is continuing investigations. In the second shooting, it is reported that around 11.20 pm on Saturday, URP worker Don Fitzgerald Simons, 39, was walking close to his Mc Shine Street, Laventille Road home when residents heard several gunshots. On investigating the noise, neighbours found Simons’ body at the side of the road in a pool of blood. He was shot several times about the body. Police believe his murder to be gang-related.

When Newsday visited the Laventille home of Simons, relatives and neighbours refused to talk. Simons who was found guilty of the manslaughter of jeweler Kurt Neil in March 2003, was released last year after he won his appeal against that sentence. He was originally charged with Neil’s murder. Visiting the scene were Insp Singh and Insp Holder, Sgt Stewart and Sgt Housend and investigating officer Cpl Rowley. For the same period last year, there were 62 murders in the country.