‘Allyuh go miss him’

Friends and relatives of Vaughn
Friends and relatives of Vaughn "Sandman" Mieres remove his body from the St Michael's RC Chapel in Blanchisseuse on Friday. PHOTO BY ANGELO M MARCELLE

EMOTIONS ran high on Friday at the St Michael’s RC Chapel in Blanchisseuse, where murdered fisherman and alleged gang leader Vaughn “Sandman” Mieres was read his final rites along with his wife, Alita Shelly-Ann Dehere.

Mourners said Mieres was the only person who kept the peace in Las Cuevas where he lived, and the nation would soon regret him being killed.

After relatives were denied use, by the Ministry of Education, of the Las Cuevas Government Primary School, which was previously advertised as the venue for the funeral, the chapel along the North Coast Road was intimate and accommodated close family members while extended relatives and friends were seated in a small courtyard.

While most of the media were not allowed inside the chapel, several weeping mourners could be seen entering and exiting the chapel and being comforted by relatives and loved ones.

One man was so emotional that he went out into the street to vent his emotions over Mieres’ death.

“Now allyuh have nobody to complain to other than the police. Allyuh go regret he dead (sic).”

The mourner said Mieres was the only person who kept the place “in ah order (sic)” – or in other words, peaceful – and alluded that there would be no one to protect the people in the area from criminals.

“Allyuh go miss him. Ah sure allyuh go miss him!”

Another mourner wept and said Mieres provided for and took care of everyone in the area and was a man of peace.

“Is everybody school books, everybody school bag he buying. From Maracas to La Fillette. He was providing for everybody. This man looked after our children,” said another.

“What they do this for? The man never troubled anyone. When last you hear about a murder in this area? He was a father to this community. He was producing more peace than war. He wanted peace. He would do anything for peace.”

Mieres, 46, Dehere, 50, and two other men identified as 36-year-old Nigel Octave of Las Cuevas and 25-year-old Kadir Joseph of San Juan were killed in an early-morning ambush at Mieres’ home last week Thursday.

MAN CHARGED

While the funeral was happening, a 24-year-old vendor of Maraval was appearing before a Port of Spain magistrate charged with murdering Mieres, Dehere, Octave and Joseph. He was also charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition.

CHARGED: Durelle "Shorto" Raymond.

Police said Durelle “Shorto” Raymond was arrested on July 29, four days after the killings.

They are alleging that he was among a group of men who stormed Mieres’ home and shot the four.

Raymond is expected to reappear in court on August 25.

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"‘Allyuh go miss him’"

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