Soldiers abduct Longdenville man

 A 33-year-old Longdenville man was reportedly brutally beaten outside his home by a group of soldiers following an altercation on Friday night.

According to reports at approximately 10.15 pm on Friday night, Gaston “Mannie” Wellington, self employed, was called out of his home by a man who identified himself as a soldier. Wellington said that by the time he walked to the front gate of his Todds Road home he saw what seemed to be an Army vehicle filled with masked armed men dressed in military clothing. He then ran to the back of his house but was chased, thrown to the ground and beaten on his head by the men. The masked men then forced Wellington into a waiting vehicle and drove off.

Wellington’s sister, who witnessed the incident along with other family members from a window, said that one of the soldiers resides in the area. She went on to explain that there was a violent incident on Old Year’s night which involved Wellington and the nephew of the soldier. She added that the soldier had called their house the day after threatening her sister and saying that the incident that took place on Old Year’s was not over.

According to the emotional sister another Army vehicle with both police and soldiers arrived at their home at about 11 pm. The occupants allegedly asked for “Mannie” but the family didn’t respond due to fear of further violence. A fleet of private cars later left the Wellington household in search of “Mannie”. At approximately 12 am Wellington was found covered in blood and mud by a friend as he ran out of a “cassava field” in Caparo.

Wellington explained, “They kept on beating me in the van, threatening to kill me. What saved me is that the van stuck in some mud in the cassava field and they said that if I helped them get it out they wouldn’t kill me.” Following the incident the man was warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital and received treatment for a broken nose and hand, numerous lacerations about the face and abrasions in the mouth. Doctors also performed several scans for brain damage and other internal injuries. Officers of the Longdenville Police Post along with officers of the Chaguanas CID were able to confirm that a report was made and are currently conducting investigations.