Cop burnt to death

A 43-YEAR-OLD police officer was burnt to death when masked bandits threw an explosive device in the marked police vehicle in which he was sitting. The victim, PC Omah Marajah  suffered 75 percent burns to his body and was dead by the time he was pulled from the burning vehicle. His death pushed the murder toll to 113 for the year so far. Between Friday afternoon and yesterday, six persons were killed — three have been confirmed as murders and the other killings are yet to be classified. The drama unfolded around 11 pm Friday, when PCs Marajah, Lazarus Jeffers and two other uniformed officers from the Piarco Police Station responded to a report of a robbery in progress at the Amerijet Cargo Service.

The bandits opened fire on the officers as they arrived on the scene. PC Marajah, who at one time served as the driver for former Police Commissioner Randolph Burroughs, was shot in the hip by the three masked gunmen who emerged from the back of the business place with bags of valuables. PC Jeffers and the two other officers scampered out of the vehicle and took cover. The gunmen then threw an explosive device into the police car which exploded. PC Marajah was trapped inside the burning vehicle. His screams alerted his colleagues and E-999 officers who were engaged in a gun battle with the bandits. PC Jeffers tried to rescue his colleague, but by the time he managed to pull PC Marajah from the car, it was too late. The bandits tried to escape by running towards the southern gate of the business place but were cornered by the heavily armed officers.

One man was shot dead on the western side of the building, while his accomplice was killed when he tried to escape. A third man scaled a fence at the eastern side of the building and escaped. He is believed to have been injured. An All Points Bulletin was sent out to all medical institutions to be on the lookout for the injured man. One of the bandits was identified yesterday as Dane Benjamin, a former Coast Guard mechanic of Coconut Drive, Morvant. All three bodies were viewed by a District Medical Officer and removed to the Forensic Science Centre. Employees of Amerijet told the police at around 11 pm, three men in tactical police wear entered the compound and identified themselves as police officers. They entered the warehouse, held up employees, ordered them to lie on the ground and began filling bags with jewelry and other valuables.

An employee used his cell phone to alert the police. When the bandits heard the sound of police sirens approaching, they put on masks and went outside with their guns blazing. Yesterday, as they mourned the death of their colleague, some police officers were demanding that Police Commissioner Trevor Paul address the recent upsurge in shoot-outs between police officers and bandits. They said  a lack of manpower, firepower and restrictions placed on officials is resulting in death and injury. The disgruntled officers also claimed that police officers are being sent into crime hot spots with meagre resources and when they ask for additional arms, they are questioned. They expressed the view that the bandits had planned to kill police officers on Friday night. Commissioner Paul visited the scene along with ACP Crime Gilbert Reyes, ACP Randolph Protain, Insp Michael Modeste, Sgt Ashby, officers of the Canine Unit and others.

The dead policeman had more than 20 years of service and was the father of three daughters — a three-year-old and a 10-month-old infant, as well as a 24-year-old daughter from his first marriage. Lutchmin Ramoutarsingh, the dead officer’s common-law wife was in a state of shock at her Tacarigua home yesterday. She said her husband was not supposed to work on Friday but received a call to report for duty because of a manpower shortage. She said he kissed her goodbye as he left for the Piarco Police Station and promised to return but never did. His three-year-old daughter Rishmi, hugged her mother constantly and insisted that her father was returning home shortly.

She kept staring into the roadway and her eyes lit up when a marked police vehicle stopped in front of her home. Her 10-month-old baby sister Shivanni slept peacefully in a nearby bedroom. Ramoutarsingh said Marajah was a good man and a wonderful father. He was supposed to go fishing with friends yesterday and for Mother’s Day planned to cook a grand meal and spend time with relatives. Colleagues described him as one of the best officers in the service and said he will be sadly missed. Yesterday Commissioner Paul said in a statement that he was deeply saddened by the death of PC Marajah and extended sympathy to the bereaved family. Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised but plans are being made for a military funeral for the slain constable.