‘Community leader’, couple gunned downBy NALINEE SEELAL Tuesday, July 22 2008
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Community leader' Mervyn 'Cudjoe' Alamby. ...
POLICE are bracing for an upsurge in killings and gang violence following the shooting death of ‘community leader’ Mervyn “Cudjoe” Alamby during the early morning hours yesterday.
Alamby, 35, a father of 12, was gunned down while at the scene of a double-murder near a bar in Aranjuez where his close friends and business associates Rosanna Seemungal and her common-law husband Raffick Mohammed were fatally shot.
Police sources said that grief-stricken associates of Alamby, boldly told police at the crime scene to “look out”, for retribution will be swift.
According to police reports, at about 1 am, Seemungal, 48, a mother of five who was also known as “Whitey”; Mohammed, 48, also called “Poona”’ and Pradeep Ramnine, 38, owner of Carlos’ Bar, were liming at a fish vendor’s shed near the bar.
Without warning, a man on a bicycle, rode up to the trio, pointed a gun at them and opened fire before riding off.
Seemungal and Mohammed died on the spot while Ramnine, who was shot in the head, remains warded in critical condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope.
On hearing the news of the shooting, Alamby left his Laventille Road, Febeau Village, San Juan home and went to the shooting scene, to find out what happened.
At about 3 am, Alamby arrived at the fishing shed and as he came out of his Toyota Corolla car, occupants in a green car parked nearby, pointed guns at him through the car windows and opened fire.
Alamby who was shot multiple times, slumped to the ground and died. The gunmen sped off while for the second time in less than two hours, residents had to call the police back to the scene.
Officers led by ASP Johnny Abraham returned to the scene and cordoned off the area around Alamby’s body.
The District Medical Officer who earlier viewed the couple’s bodies, had to be called out again to view Alamby’s body.
Jennifer Bain screamed and collapsed after she arrived and saw the body of Alamby, her common-law husband, on the ground.
Alamby was one of the persons who came together to sign a peace accord in 2006 following a spate of gang killings and violence along the East West Corridor.
Since then, several ‘community leaders’ who signed this treaty including Kerwin “Fresh” Phillip, Sean Sandy of St Barb’s, Herbert “Screw up” John and Sheldon “Crock” Scott have been gunned down.
“Our youngest child Melina, is extremely close to her father and I will not tell her that her daddy is dead,” Bain said as she waited outside the Forensic Science Centre awaiting the results of her husband’s autopsy.
On the threat of retribution for Alamby’s killing, Bain said, “My husband would not want any blood shed because of his death... I am leaving this in the hands of the Almighty.”
The daughters of Seemungal described her as an excellent mother and believe she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The killings have pushed the murder toll to 291 for the year thus far.
