Born-Again Christian shot dead

UNWILLING to let bandits steal his car, a father of two who was described by grieving relatives as a Born-Again Christian, was shot and thrown from the vehicle and left to die on a road near the home of a retired policeman in Tunapuna, during the early morning hours yesterday.

Northern Division police have since launched a massive manhunt for the killers of Derek Primus, 43, whose car had still not been recovered up to late yesterday. “Half an hour after my brother left home to ply his car for hire, he was dead. “The police called me and said he got shot,” a sombre Elizabeth Rivers told Sunday Newsday during a brief interview at her Balthazar Street, Tunapuna home. “When I reach the road, I see a body covered in white sheets and thought to myself ‘nah that eh my brother.’ But when the police lift the sheet I see is Derek,” Rivers cried.

According to police reports, around 12.45 am Primus was plying his silver-grey B15 Sentra for private-hire ‘PH’ and was parked at the Tunapuna Road Taxi-Stand waiting for passengers. He had purchased the car a few months ago. Four men entered the vehicle and asked to be taken to various locations in the Tunapuna area. Police said when Primus reached about 200 metres from the home of retired ACP (Crime) Cecil Carrington, at the corner of Payne Lane and Tunapuna Road, one of the men in the backseat asked to be let off and Primus stopped the car at the side of the road. However, the man placed a gun to Primus’ head and announced a hold-up. Primus tried to fight off the man whose accomplice sat next to him in the backseat.

The other two passengers, one of whom is a soldier, jumped out of the car and ran. Minutes later a single gunshot was heard and one of the bandits jumped out of the car, dragged Primus out of the driver’s seat and onto the road. The gunman then sat in the driver’s seat and drove off with his accomplice still seated in the backseat. The soldier who ran from the car, went to the Tunapuna police station and made a report. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Primus lying face up on the road with blood streaming from a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest. Sources told Sunday Newsday that shortly after the police arrived on the scene, Primus died.

Visiting the scene were Snr Supt Farouk Ghany, ASP Errol Dillon, ASP Nadir Khan, Insp Michael Modeste, Insp Alladin Karim, Cpl Neville Adams and Ag Cpl Durmot Highly. DMO Dr Chinia viewed the body and ordered it removed to the Port-of-Spain Mortuary. An autopsy will be done tomorrow at the Forensic Sciences Centre, Federation Park, St James. Police sources told Sunday Newsday that Primus had been deported from the United States, where his common-law wife and their two children reside, after he was freed of a criminal charge late last year. However, at the Primus residence in Balthazar Street, Tunapuna no mention was made of Primus being a deportee. “My brother was a family man. He was a Born-Again Christian and his whole life revolved around his family. He was an honest man who did not deserve to die the way he did,” stated Elizabeth Rivers, who along with another brother, had identified the body to police.

Primus’ father, Ralph, 68, sat on a chair while his daughter was being interviewed by Sunday Newsday. The elder Primus appeared to be in a state of shock and did not say much on his son’s death. Rivers told Sunday Newsday that her brother’s common-law wife and his children, who all live in the United States, were informed about his death. Up to late yesterday no arrests had been made and detective Cpl Neville Adams of Tunapuna CID, is continuing investigations.