ACTING Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs has called for an enquiry into allegations that members of the Anti Kidnapping Squad (AKS) did not take seriously the threatened kidnapping of Barataria businessman, John Sam Chee, owner of Tenth Avenue Drugs, Eastern Main Road.

The attempt to kidnap Sam Chee was averted after the 58-year-old businessman fired 11 shots at the three men, who also returned fire.  It occurred Tuesday night as he was about to leave his businessplace, police sources said. In the melee, however, Sam Chee’s 31-year-old son, Sean, was shot three times and was up to late evening warded in “stable but critical condition” at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Mount Hope Medical Sciences Complex. North Eastern Division police confirmed that Sean received his wounds from the kidnappers firearms. “He is pulling through quite nicely,” John Sam Chee said yesterday of his son’s condition.  The elder Sam Chee added that Sean needs about three more pints of AB positive blood.  He initially needed ten. The day after the attempted kidnapping, Sam Chee’s sister, Mildred, told Newsday that she had contacted the Anti Kidnapping Squad and informed them that they had received a tip-off about the intended kidnapping.

Acting head of the AKS, ASP Henry Millington confirmed yesterday that Mildred had called the unit, and said he would speak to her sometime today. The tip-off came Monday night when a man came to the drugstore and informed a worker, Mildred said, pointing out that she contacted the AKS the same Tuesday, but was told to contact police in their area. Mildred said she got the telephone number to the elite AKS department after doing “a lot of investigations.” She was adamant that if the AKS had taken the call seriously, the incident might have been avoided. Officers of the North Eastern Division said if they had been informed about the intended kidnapping, they would have put measures in place to prevent it, and possibly arrest the would-be kidnappers. No arrests had been made up to late evening and Cpl Patrick Thomas of the Morvant Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is investigating.

Three hours after he heard his mother had died, 22-year-old Sheldon Davidson Stuart was gunned down Wednesday night a short distance away from his William Street, Arouca home by unknown gunmen who also shot his friend’s father during their getaway from the crime scene.

Speaking from the Forensic Science Centre yesterday, Stuart’s father, David, said his son came home around 5.30 pm Wednesday and was in amazement at seeing his mother, Roselyn Collymore, alive at their home. “Somebody told me you had died,” David said his son told his mother.  It turned out, however, that his mother carried the same name as a woman in the area who had passed away earlier Wednesday. Close to three hours later Stuart left to go and see his 23-year-old friend, Arnold Gopee, who lives a short distance away from him.  On his way, police said the part-time construction worker was accosted by two men. Police said the men fired several shots at Stuart who subsequently collapsed and died.  He was shot three times, in the chest, neck and arm.

The men then fled the scene on foot but on their way out of the area fired shots indiscriminately at people on the road, striking Gopee’s father, Nandlal, 42, in the leg. Police said Gopee and his son were in their yard. Arnold was lucky not to have been shot but his fisherman father was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was attended to and discharged. A report was made and a party of Northern Division officers headed by acting Supt Fitzroy Fredericks, and including Insps Bullen and Thomas, along with Sgt Don Lezama visited the scene and conducted investigations. District Medical Officer  Dr Paul Bissessar was also called in to view the body which he later pronounced dead and ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre for an autopsy which confirmed Stuart died from haemorrhage consistent with gunshot wounds.

David Stuart, 47, said after his son had questioned his mother on her so-called death, he (Stuart) took a bath and went to see Arnold. 
Recovering from a stroke and high blood pressure, David said his son came back sometime after, ate and was about to make a second trip to Arnold’s home when he met his death. “I heard three shots and a neighbour came and told me that my son got shot,” said David while seated on a bench outside the Science Centre.  On investigating, the father of two sons, said he checked his eldest son and realised he had died. David, a member of the Arouca Revival Tabernacle, said he had no idea why anyone would want to kill his son. He also said his son had not received threats to his life, and that if his son was a troublemaker he would not have been afraid to say so. Police sources also said Stuart was not known to them in any “questionable way.” No arrests had been made up to late evening and Sgt Don Lezama of the CID is continuing investigations.

An 18-year-old youth of Munroe Road, Cunupia died on Wednesday, two days after he fell off the tray of a van at Mausica Road, Arima.

Samuel Mathew Christopher was reportedly sitting in the tray of the van around 1.30 pm on Monday when the freak accident occured. He was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he was treated and warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He never regained consciousness. The driver of the van, co-worker Shaheed Mohammed, of Chin Chin Road, Cunupia, was interviewed by the police and a statement recorded.

Yesterday, friends and relatives of the dead man gathered at his Munroe Road, Cunupia home to pay their respects. His elder brother Steve told Newsday that his brother was still on duty and returning to work when the incident occurred. The family expressed their intention to seek legal advice in the matter. According to Steve, although his brother was employed at a processing plant, his dream was to become an electrical engineer. During the funeral service yesterday, relatives and friends of the dead teenager were unable to contain their grief and their screams of sorrow could be heard a distance away. During the eulogy, read by Steve, the agony of grief seemed etched on the faces of his close relatives.

FOR the second time in as many days, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce is calling for the police and Government to do their respective parts to ensure citizens can proceed with their lawful business without fear of any criminal element.

The Chamber said it was unfortunate it had to issue a second consecutive statement on the spate of crime. But the attempted kidnapping of Barataria businessman John Sam Chee, the shooting of his son, Sean, and the slaying of  “small businessman” Soodesh Sawh, which all occurred on Tuesday night, were dreaded reminders that the “battle is far from over.” The Chamber said zero tolerance for crime, strict adherence of our laws, the elimination of illegal guns and the quick passage of criminals through the legal system must be enforced as this  was the only way to gain the upper hand against those who intend to destroy our way of life.

A MEMBER of staff at the International School at Westmoorings admitted yesterday that she froze on hearing gunshots around her on the day 18-year-old Phillip Seerattan was shot dead at the school.

“It was something very traumatic. I was very scared,” said Nisha Ann Kassiram. The unfolding events at the school on November 20, 2002, sent her packing under a desk where she stayed for 20 minutes. In fact, two other women hid under the same desk. They were praying while Kassiram was just thinking. Kassiram, of Vistabella, San Fernando, was a receptionist at the International School on the day of the shooting. She is now employed as the assistant librarian. Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, sitting as Coroner, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Phillip Seerattan. Patricia Roberts is looking after the interest of the Seerattan family, while Martin George represents the two police officers involved in the shooting — PC Gary Moore and WPC Suad Weekes. Lydia Mendonca appears for the International School, while Inspector Lynette Fergusson is the court prosecutor. Hearing resumes this morning.

On November 20, 2002, Kassiram said she reported for work. Around 2.50 pm, she was sitting on a couch in the lobby of the reception area. She was selecting T-Shirts for the upcoming Carnival activities. “I heard a loud explosion which I thought was a fire cracker. I looked outside and I saw a tall East Indian young man with curly hair approaching the guard booth. I never saw him before that day. He had a back-pack on his back. I saw this guy approaching the security guard William Ramnarine.” Kassiram continued, “I saw William Ramnarine arguing with this man. Ramnarine was shaking his head and gesticulating. The man seemed agitated and was pointing something at Ramnarine. They were an arm’s length away from each other. I heard another loud explosion and I saw some kids running. I remember that Ramnarine tried to run but he fell flat on his face.” Kassiram said the guy (Phillip Seerattan) was standing over Ramnarine with a black gun holding it downwards. When asked to describe the gun, the witness said it was like something she saw on television.

Kassiram said her Business Manager Mr Pitman and the Head of Security Anthony Ralph ran past her. “Mr Pitman grabbed me by my arm and spoke to me. I was frozen. It was something very traumatic. I wasn’t able to see what was happening outside. I was very scared. I ran into an office and hid under a desk where I stayed for 20 minutes.” She said two other female women also hid under the same desk. She heard a lot of running outside the room. Someone, she added, tried to open the door leading to the corridor, but it was locked. “I heard yelling and running. I then heard loud explosions coming from the school. It could have been about six shots. These shots were very loud and they were coming from above me. They were fired very fast. Then, there was silence. The two women with me were praying, I was just thinking.” Kassiram said there was an announcement over the PA system. They came out from under the desk. Kassiram said she returned to her desk. “My desk was very messy. It was not the way I left it. There was paper everywhere. There was alcohol all over my desk, as well as matches. I started to quarrel about my desk.” Kassiram remembered seeing several policemen in the lobby, including PC Gary Moore. According to the witness, the policemen were assuring the school director Barney Latham that the school was safe once again. The children were taken to the school gymnasium. Kassiram did not see Seerattan again. After everything subsided, she called her mother and eventually left the school after 5 pm.

NURSE Denesia Gonsalves was forced to hide in the toilet before attending to wounded security guard William Ramnarine in the cafeteria of the International School at Westmoorings on November 20, 2002.

Gonsalves also stated that she became very concerned for Ramnarine because the ambulance took too long to reach the scene of the shootings. Gonsalves said on the day in question, she was in the clinic at the school when she heard a loud sound. She then heard three more sounds in quick succession. “I locked the door to the clinic. I went into the toilet area and locked the door. I remained there for about five minutes. I came out of the toilet and unlocked the door to the clinic. I looked around and did not see anything. I felt it was safe so I went and took my emergency first aid kit to the cafeteria.”

On her arrival there, Gonsalves saw Ramnarine lying on his back on the ground. “There was a lot of blood coming from his mouth. There was another man standing next to him. I rendered aid to William Ramnarine. He had two injuries, to his cheek and groin. I then heard a knocking on the door. When I opened it I saw it was a student, Mishaeil Sukhbir.”
Gonsalves said when she saw the boy, he appeared to be a little scared. The boy had a note on him. Gonsalves said she read part of the note following which the boy put it back in his pocket. She then heard about five more explosions. She became very concerned about Ramnarine because of the delay by the ambulance to reach the school.
Gonsalves said she accompanied Ramnarine to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Another witness — Alicia Solozano — said she became very scared when she saw Mishaeil Sukbir in the upstairs room of the school with gunman Phillip Seerattan. “I then saw a young man leaning against the teacher’s desk. That could have been five feet away. I saw something looking like a gun in his right hand. He was just holding the gun down at his side. I did not attempt to open the door. I made eye contact with Mishaeil who kept waving me away from the door.” Solozano said she left and went back to the teachers’ room. She then went to her office and used the telephone. She spoke to the police some time later and eventually left the school premises at 8 pm.