POLICE counted more than 13 wounds on the body of retired police Insp Kenneth Best, who was stabbed to death yesterday at a house in D’Abadie, allegedly by a female outpatient of the St Ann’s Mental Hospital. The 28-year-old woman was in police custody last night, assisting police with their investigations. She is expected to be charged with either murder or manslaughter depending on how the investigations unfold, police said. It is reported that sometime after 1 pm yesterday, Best, 53, went to a house off Alfred Olton Trace at the request of the suspect. The house is owned by Jamaican national Lorna Alleyne, 42, a polio victim. Police said neighbours told them that they first heard quarrelling, followed by the sound of a scuffle.  Shortly after, police said the retired cop, father of three, was found in a pool of blood in the living room area. Before his retirement from the police service approximately two years ago, reports are that Best was suspended on enquiries relating to the theft of firearms from the St James Barracks, where he was an armourer.

A party of officers headed by Sr Supt Rodvan Bastien and including ASPs Errol Dillon and Wesley Moore, Homicide officer Insp Lester Hutchings, Cpl Jones and others visited the scene of yesterday’s incident and conducted investigations.  A kitchen knife was seized and the suspect arrested on the premises. Police on the scene yesterday said neighbours called in the Arima police on Wednesday after the suspect allegedly chopped a tree and threw some filth onto the porch. In an interview at her home yesterday, Alleyne, who said she is the suspect’s adopted mother, told reporters that the suspect and Best usually visited her home. Best and the suspect lived at Spring Trace, Windy Hill, Arouca, and Emperor Boulevard, Bon Air Gardens. She said the suspect’s mother built a place for her in Bon Air, but that the suspect did not like to be alone. Alleyne said she was in her bedroom when she heard the sound of what seemed to be a fight.  She said she decided not to investigate because she felt it was a domestic matter.

Alleyne added that she eventually fell asleep and a neighbour woke her up saying: “Lorna get up.  You have a dead man in your drawing room.” The Jamaican national said she came out and saw the body. She said the suspect was still sitting in her home. Alleyne could not say if Best and the suspect had any problems.  She added that they had been together for about two years. At Emperor Boulevard, a man who said he was a close friend of Best, said he often warned the deceased about the mentally-ill woman, whom Best had accused of stealing $100 from him on Thursday. An assistant nurse at the St Ann’s Hospital who lived in the same area said Best called her yesterday morning saying he was coming for lunch. She said she never saw him and believed he would have showed up later in the day. The St Ann’s employee also said she treated the suspect at the mental institution a few years ago on Ward 9. She added that the suepct has been outside a couple of years now, but used to come for treatment. District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Kevin Antoine viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Port-of-Spain mortuary. An autopsy will be conducted on Monday at the Forensic Science Centre. Investigations are continuing.

 

Man gunned down on Nelson Street

By WENDY CAMPBELL

YESTERDAY’S shooting death of Steve Hall, father of two daughters, remained a mystery to police officers up to late evening. However, police sources said they are not ruling out the possibility of a drug connection in the killing of Hall. The 35-year-old man, of First Street, San Juan, once worked as a meat vendor at the San Juan market. The assailant who was said to have hurried away following the shooting, had not been caught up to late yesterday evening. He reportedly ran through the Nelson Street apartment buildings, leaving behind his black rubber slippers and a navy blue hat, which were seized by the police. Describing the shooting as an assassination, police sources said sometime after 8 am yesterday, Hall, was sitting in his red Honda Civic vehicle, between apartments 51-53 and 55-57 on Nelson Street. Lawmen said an unknown male shooter approached the vehicle from the left front glass window and fired approximately seven shots at Hall, who was seated in the front passenger seat.  He was alone. A woman told police that her husband found Hall sitting in the blood soaked vehicle.  The man took him to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, in Hall’s vehicle.

Police said the woman refused to volunteer any other information. Hall, however, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Casualty Department by Dr Joanne Kissoon. A report was made and a party of officers headed by ASP Terry Young and including Insp Manechand Ramnarine, Sgt Wood, Cpls Henry Dann and Forde and others visited the scene and conducted investigations. No spent shells were found in the vehicle, which was taken away to be expertly examined. Police were unable to determine what kind of firearm was used. At his home yesterday, Hall’s common-law-wife Roxanne Hall told Newsday that the last time she saw Hall was yesterday morning before he left home. She said he did not tell her where he was going. His mother Evelyn Hall said her son received a telephone call and that he told the people on the other line to wait for him.  “I feel he knew them,” Evelyn said, adding she had no idea why anyone would want to kill her son. She said at the time of his death he was involved in straightening and painting at his home. His sister Lisa Hall, described her brother as a “good person” and wanted to know what had become of the gold jewelry that her brother was wearing at the time of his death. Officers said they found $263 in Hall’s possession. Cpl Henry Dann of the Besson Street Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is continuing investigations.

According to Clint Williams, Corporate Communications Manager of BWIA, the airline is fully functional following the seizure of two 737 jets by lessors International Lease and Finance Corporation (ILFC) earlier this week. Williams informed  Newsday that the Airline had recovered the planes and is continuing all regularly scheduled flights. He added that the negative impact of the seizure was “not too significant”. “There were a few cancellations, however they were picked up by other passengers who displayed their great confidence in the airline,” said Williams. Regarding the 120 days of “breathing space” offered to the airline by the ILFC, he said he did not wish to speculate about how prepared the company would be to meet their US$ 5.5 million debt. He gave assurance however, that the airline would work assiduously towards paying the money on time.

There were reports that many creditors of the airline had made calls for monies owed to them in light of the situation. Williams was able to confirm the reports and said, “People must understand that the airline needs time to recover.” He continued, “They should not move to crush the airline by calling for all their money in a time of crisis.” ILFC officials, who were in the country to negotiate a plan with the Government, are set to leave the country today. Junior Finance Minister Christine Sahadeo informed the Newsday that they will be returning within a week to continue negotiations and finalise a feasible work plan. The four month grace period represents BWIA’s most profitable season. Meanwhile a BWIA plane flying to New York City was reportedly grounded in Barbados yesterday due to engine trouble, its passengers eventually being transported by Air Jamaica.

TABLELAND police are searching for a retired soldier who stabbed a police constable during an argument outside a bar early yesterday morning. Reports are that the 48-year-old former-soldier attacked PC Larry Legende, 21, with an eight-inch cocoa knife, and left him bleeding on the roadside. Legende, of George Village, Tableland, is attached to the Couva Police Station. “I don’t even know the man,” the young constable said from his hospital bed, still uncertain as to the motive for the attack. Legende is warded in stable condition at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) after he received stitches to the left side side of his face, neck, and both arms. The victim said that the soldier accosted him when he started an argument that the Army held more authority than the police service.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Naparima Mayaro Road, approximately 400 feet away from the Tableland Police Station. Legende’s father, Alexander, said his son came from work around 10.30 pm Thursday and went out to lime. Legende and his friend, Reeza Mohammed, pulled into Puntai’s Restaurant and Bar, while the former soldier was drinking at Sunny’s Restaurant and Bar which is located on the opposite side of the road. The suspect was involved in an argument at Sunny’s bar, and around midnight  he left the bar. Legende and his friend were on the road when the attacker began challenging the young constable that soldiers were “better” than policemen. Police said during the argument the attacker pulled out the knife, which has a blade shaped like a hook at one end. The former-soldier lunged at the policeman with the weapon, and stabbed him about his head and neck. Legende’s arms were also severely cut as he tried to fend off his attacker. Police said the attacker ran off as bar patrons turned to assist Legende. The suspect is believed to be hiding out in the nearby bushes in the district, but police said they are continuing their search. Sgt Rajkumar is continuing investigations.

President George Maxwell Richards is so alarmed to hear claims of racial division in Trinidad and Tobago, that he will personally set up a President’s Committee to investigate. He disclosed this to Indian Arrival Day dinner held by the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha at its St Augustine headquarters on Thursday evening. President Richards said: “I am profoundly disturbed by commentators saying that the two major ethnic groups are more polarised than ever.” Saying there was much work to be done to investigate these claims, he announced that he would soon be appointing a President’s Committee which would research the question and then systematically present its findings to the country in 12 months time. He said any local ethnic tensions could be dispelled by understanding the history of the “arrivals.”The President asserted: “Many in the national community will be astounded by what they do not know about Indian arrival.” President Richards welcomed the fact this country contained diverse differences, but urged that on the major issues the whole county should be united.

MEMBERS of the Northern Divisional Task Force on Thursday night seized two shotguns, along with 12-gauge cartridges and 15 rounds of .38 ammunition following a shoot-out in the Valencia district. Police said the officers were on an exercise in the area when they spotted a grey B13 Nissan Sentra vehicle.  Police said they received information that the men were going to rob the Cross Country Food Traders Limited, Old Road Valencia. The officers, headed by Insp Michael Modeste and Sgt Garrick attempted to intercept the vehicle, but were reportedly fired upon.

The party of officers returned fire in the vicinity of a Northern Division police officer,  Three men reportedly came out of the vehicle and escaped on foot into a forested area. A party of officers from the Eastern Division headed by Sr Supt Randolph Protain along with ASP Earl Gonzales visited the scene and conducted investigations. The car was seized and police said there were traces of blood in it, leading them to believe that one of the suspects was shot.  Medical institutions were placed on alert. The vehicle was later searched and the shotguns and ammunition seized. No arrests had been made up to late evening and Sgt Garrick is continuing investigations.

OPPOSITION MP for Caroni East Ganga Singh yesterday underscored his freedom to transverse the East/West corridor, as he delivered greetings at the Indian Arrival Day celebrations at the St Helena Village Eco Park, Piarco. Singh told his constituents and Prime Minister Patrick Manning who was the feature speaker, that he was merely a few feet from the East/West corridor and he was free to transverse at his will, “Laquis or no Laquis”. His remarks which brought laughter from the small crowd, was in reference to the subtle threat by former PNM MP Dr Joe Laquis, that he would not be able to walk the corridor following his allegations against Laquis in the Parliament about a WASA scandal. Singh went on to call on Manning to manage the plurality of society as it pertained to the constitution and to ensure equality for all. Singh noted that there were no CEPEP or URP in St Helena or East Indians holding foreign postings as Ambassadors,  but pointed out that he wasn’t there to talk about those issues.

He said the occasion called for celebration and as such attention should be given to adhering to the constitution in terms of equality, which should be afforded to all citizens. He then called on the PM to put back on the development programme the community centre for St Helena, which constituents urged the PM to have built for them. Singh also insisted that people should not betray what they say. Manning in his speech said whatever his government may have met in office, it was committed to equity in the conduct of its affairs. He said as appointments were made, his government tried to ignore the consideration of class, race and religion, and concentrate on competence. He also said the expansion of the LNG exports and the new oil discovery on the East Coast would ease the pressure for financial resources which forced government to establish priorities. Manning said priority was critical in a plural society because with choices to make, government would always be exposed to allegations of discrimination. He also promised to give St Helena its community centre but told residents to first decide who should be in charge of what. At the start of the programme, Singh warmly embraced Manning as a welcome to the Caroni East constituency, a gesture which seemed to surprise many, especially as a result of the ongoing arguments between the government and the Opposition. Minister of Community Development Joan Yuille-Williams also delivered greetings.

NORTH Eastern Division detectives were up to late evening searching for a 17-year-old girl who allegedly stabbed a 16-year-old female, reportedly over a boy. The victim, Victoria Singh, of Petit Bourg, San Juan, is warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) in stable condition. One of her lungs, has reportedly collapsed, police said. Around 9 pm Thursday, Singh reportedly went to visit a friend at  Mon Repos, Morvant, when she was accosted by the 17-year-old assailant from the same area. Police sources said the assailant accused Singh of having a relationship with her boyfriend, who lives at Romaine Lands, also in Morvant. The assailant is reported to have thrown Singh on the ground, after which Singh was stabbed twice, once in the upper left shoulder and then in the back region. Police said Singh was rushed to the city hospital in an Emergency Health Services (EHS) ambulance.  She was treated and warded at the institution.

A report was made and a party of officers headed by Insp Dave Hillaire and including PC Wayne Praimdass visited the scene and conducted investigations. A knife, believed to have been the weapon, was seized by the police.  PC Praimdass of Morvant Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is continuing enquiries. Meanwhile, a party of officers from the North Eastern Division, under Insp Hillaire and including Sgts Keith Louison and David Abraham arrested a total of five people during an exercise which began at 11pm Thursday and ended at 9 am yesterday. Police said the party of officers, which also included Cpl Andre Lawrence and PCs Ragbir and Susan Wilkinson held one of the five for possession of marijuana, while two others were held on enquiries related to house breaking and larceny, as well as robbery investigations. The exercise was co-ordinated by Sr Supt Desmond Lambert and will continue over the weekend in an effort to stem the crime situation.