‘Pay up or Yves dies’

Kidnap victim Benedict Barette, 18, was released in Chaguanas around 1.30 am yesterday with a note to the family of kidnap victim, Yves Ayoung Chee. The note listed demands and a deadline date for the demands to be honoured or, as it said, Ayoung Chee will be killed. Barette, who was treated by doctors, spent several hours with officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad. The note was handed over to the police who called in fingerprint experts to try and lift prints. Barette, whose family lives in Santa Cruz, contacted a relative and was taken to Diego Martin. While in Diego Martin, he contacted his family and was later reunited with his mother and father. The Barette family reportedly owns a business in Westmoorings. AKS officers told Newsday that Barette appeared to be in good health and claimed that he was not beaten, or ill treated by the kidnappers. He also claimed that he had no idea where Ayoung Chee was being kept. Newsday learned that both Barette and Ayoung Chee were kept in bushes somewhere in Central. They were kidnapped last week Thursday.
  
Reports revealed that Ayoung Chee was driving his jeep around 5.20 am in the vicinity of Marli Street, Newtown. He was in company with Barette and Nolan Cooper, a bartender with Club Coconuts. On reaching Marli Street, a siren was heard and a black vehicle was seen. Two men alighted from the black vehicle and identified themselves as police officers. They then snatched Ayoung Chee and Barette and left Cooper behind. A report was later made to the St Clair Police. Ayoung Chee’s relatives had been given a deadline date last Sunday to pay a ransom demand. Newsday learned that up until yesterday, no ransom was paid to the kidnappers. At the Scott Street, St Clair home of the Ayoung Chee family, relatives expressed concern for their relative’s safety. SP Henry Millington is spearheading inquiries into the kidnapping.