3 elite Coast Guard officers charged with murder

THREE members of the Coast Guard's elite Special Naval Unit have been charged for the murder of Teddy Sylvester, well-placed police sources confirmed to Newsday on Monday night.

Newsday was told that investigators received the go-ahead to charge the three after Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, met with investigators to review the case file.

The three are expected to appear before a Port of Spain magistrate on Tuesday.

They were detained last Wednesday for questioning by a joint team of homicide and anti-kidnapping officers, linked to the killing of the Maraval man.

Following the arrests, a release from the Defence Force said the three were detained in relation to “the death of a member of the public who was kidnapped” on January 9.

The statement said the Defence Force was assisting police in the investigations and will continue to do so as required.

On January 9, Sylvester, 34, of Cameron Hill, was kidnapped by four armed men dressed in black, with the word “POLICE” on the chest area. Sylvester was bundled into a black Nissan X-Trail SUV. Another man who was with Sylvester was unharmed.

Sylvester’s relatives subsequently checked police stations in their district but could not find him.

On January 10, the victim’s grandmother reported him missing to the Maraval Police Station.

On January 13, Sylvester’s body was found off Cadet Road, Petit Valley. An autopsy showed that he was murdered.