Suspicious evidence

THE REPORTED discovery, yet again, of bullet shells with Defence Force markings at a crime scene returns to the fore serious questions about the custody chain of official firearms as well as measures that have been recently put in place to secure stores.

In recent months, several shooting incidents, including murders, have borne a disturbing characteristic: spent shells with regiment markings being found at the scene.

On Sunday, a 42-year-old woman was shot at in Maloney Gardens, Arouca. Crime scene investigators processing the scene found seven spent 9mm shell casings with what appeared to be TT Regiment markings.

Early last month, a 52-year-old hardware owner was shot dead while delivering cement and other items. Some of the nine spent shells found at that scene bore regimental markings.

Then, days before Christmas, a 49-year-old businessman and his teenaged son were gunned down near their Piarco home. Shells with similar markings were also found at the scene of this double murder.

Such incidents prompted Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds to engage the Chief of Defence Staff.

The Regiment said it was unaware of ammunition bearing its markings being used in criminal activities but nonetheless pledged to co-operate with police investigations. It also assured necessary “military disciplinary actions” if needed.

But more needs to be done than to just leave these matters in the hands of the military.

The Parliament’s Committee on National Security should urgently inquire into this matter, being an appropriate organ of oversight available to legislators and to parliamentary representatives.

The Defence Force has its own structures in place to control and regulate its affairs. Given the importance of its functions, it’s understandable that it has its own way of dealing with issues that arise from time to time.

Its pledge to take “military disciplinary action,” will for many serve as a reminder that its measures to enforce rules are largely done away from the glare of the public’s eye.

That is all well and good for a tightly-run ship.

But if, as the reports of these shells popping up here and there seem to suggest, things are beginning to have an impact way beyond the jurisdiction of the military, officials have a duty to be more open and transparent.

Mr Hinds has suggested some of the incidents might relate to things that occurred before a revamped system of controls was recently put into place.

Nonetheless, it needs to be established whether there is an endemic problem or not. There is far too much evidence suggesting something rotten.

There is no reason why the Regiment cannot be held to account before the National Security Committee, which, incidentally, only held a handful of meetings last year.