‘Skelly’ to answer charge of kidnapping Ronald John

SHELDON “Skelly” Lovell, along with co-accused Brent “Small Brent” Danglade, Shawn “Gumbo” Vincent and Richard “Chinee” Kirton, will go on trial for the imprisonment of businessman and United National Congress activist Ronald John two years ago, just days before the 2002 general election. The trial will begin on Wednesday, February 4, before Tunapuna Magistrate Ramoo Haynes. The accused men appeared before Haynes on Tuesday, and she explained that she was waiting on the Port-of-Spain matter to decide when the case will start. John, brother of former UNC Minister of Works Carlos John, was kidnapped as he entered his Woodbrook home in October 2002.

He was later found bound and gagged in a house at Bamboo Trace, Tunapuna. The foursome was later charged with false imprisonment. The accused men, together with Jason Joseph, Rondell Roberts and Brian Charles, were all charged with the kidnapping and appeared together at a Port-of-Spain court, charged with John’s abduction. That matter has been postponed to Tuesday, February 2. Richard Kirton turned State witness in the first matter and is expected to do the same in Tunapuna.