‘I want to prove my innocence’

Sheldon “Skelly” Lovell, described by the police as their ‘‘most wanted man’’ and his associate Sean Vincent alias “Gumbo,” who were on the run for the past 20 days, yesterday surrendered to Army officers from Teteron, close to Maritime Plaza, Barataria, around 6 am yesterday.

The two men contacted attorney Patrick Godson Phillip and asked him to make arrangements for officers of the Defence Force to pick them up close to Maritime Plaza. The two asked that no police officers be informed of their surrender, and further requested that no members of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad be informed. They made it clear that if any police officer was informed of their surrender, they would abort the plan. Vincent and Lovell boarded an army vehicle and were taken to the Central Police Station, now based at the Old Police Headquarters. They were met at the station by their attorney. The two wanted men were later escorted to the office of the Port-of-Spain CID where they were interviewed by senior officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in the presence of their attorney. They were later photographed by police officers and their fingerprints taken. Vincent remained silent during his stay at the Port-of-Spain CID while Lovell told police officers that he decided to surrender because he knew that the matter against him in the kidnapping of Yves Ayoung Chee and Bendedict Barrette was listed for hearing yesterday.

Lovell admitted to being involved in one kidnapping but “not the kidnapping he is charged with” and claimed that the money he received from that has been depleted. He added that he has been unable to move freely among his friends so he wanted to surrender, prove his innocence and then be allowed to go about his life a free man. Lovell denied reports that he was planning to skip the country and claimed that at all times, his hideout was a house at Egypt Village, Morvant. He denied that he was part of a kidnapping ring and also claimed that to be placed on the country’s most wanted list really hurt him. On Thursday July 30, Ag Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs announced that Lovell was the country’s most wanted man. A $25,000 reward was offered to anyone with information leading to Lovell’s capture. The next day, Crime Stoppers increased the reward to $100,000.

Warrants were later issued for the arrest of Lovell,  Vincent,  and another man known as “Fruity” to face charges of kidnapping and falsely imprisoning teenagers Yves Ayoung Chee and Benedict Barrette. The three are charged jointly with Special Reserve Police Officer Reginald Gibson and Kenny Bonnet of Laventille. A warrant for the arrest of a sixth man in connection with the kidnapping was issued recently Yesterday, Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee said that that he had been prepared to increase the reward for the arrest of Lovell from $100,000 to $250,000. He added: “We are prepared to do whatever it takes to bring swift justice against known kidnappers.We are pleased with the outcome, however the fight must continue.” He congratulated the Police, Defence Force and Crime Stoppers for the roles they played in getting Lovell to surrender. He reiterated his call for the police, army and citizens to avoid becoming complacent in the fight against crime.