Men in court for murdering PC Babwah

Three men appeared before Arima magistrate Debby Ann Bassaw charged with murdering PC Richard Babwah who was shot to death at a Chinese restaurant on December 11.

They are 32-year-old labourer Keane Osei Simmons, also known as “Clarkie”, 32-year-old Shurland “Psycho” Jones and 31-year-old taxi driver Shawn Scott, also called “Scottie”. All three of them are from Maloney Gardens, D’Abadie.

They have also been charged with robbery with aggravation against the proprietor of the restaurant. Jones and Simmons have been jointly charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition and robbery with violence against 40-year-old Babwah.

The policeman was at the restaurant when three men, one armed with a gun, entered and announced a robbery. Babwah pulled out his service-issued gun and challenged the men. A shootout ensued and one of the suspects was shot in the lower abdomen. Babwah was shot several times and died on the scene. The men then fled in a red Nissan Almera driven by a fourth man. The wounded suspect was held at the Arima district health facility shortly after the incident. The man, identified as the driver of the getaway car, was arrested in Maloney later that same day while the third suspect was arrested at Plum Road, Manzanilla the next day. Police are still searching for the fourth suspect.

Simmons, Jones and Scott were charged yesterday by Insp. Shaun Craig, of the Homicide Bureau Region 2, after police received advice from acting DPP Joan Honore-Paul on Tuesday.

They are expected to reappear in court on January 16.