74 percent murders not solved — 98 percent of kidnappers walk free
THE POLICE last year failed to solve three-quarters of all murders committed in Trinidad and Tobago, this revealed by Independent Senator Prof Ramesh Deosaran. He yesterday moved a private motion in the Senate calling on the Government to better tackle crime. He lamented that as the numbers of the murders rose from 1992 to 2004, the detection-rate for murder drastically fell. "You had a detection rate in 1992 of 63 percent out of 109 murders. But in 2004 with the murders of 261, the detection rate was just 26 percent." Even less robberies were solved, he added. In 1992 some 24 percent of 3,786 robberies were solved, but by 2004 the police could solve only 19 percent of 3,885 robberies. There were even lower detection rates in 2004 for burglary (17 percent) and larceny (11 percent), he added. "Worse yet when you look at the conviction rate, the nightmare is even gloomier. "In 1997, 70 persons were charged with kidnapping, but (there were) no convictions." He calculated the rate of convictions per 100 kidnappings. "From 1995 to 2004 the percentage of convictions over reported kidnappings was just two percent. It means 98 percent of the kidnappings reported were left without a conviction." Deosaran was upset at bail being granted to persons who might offend again. "There is gross evidence that people convicted for drug trafficking and other heinous crimes several times, have been let off on bail by the High Court. "The Government must find the leverage to intervene through Parliament or otherwise." Hitting the Judiciary and Magistracy, he said, "You cannot boast of independence and commit such inefficiencies. You have to have an eye on how the Judiciary is functioning, especially when it seems so visibly against the public interest."
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"74 percent murders not solved — 98 percent of kidnappers walk free"