Central businessmen appeal after 3 officers held for kidnapping: Go after dirty cops

Central businessmen want “disruptive measures” to deal with corruption and criminality within the police service after three officers were detained for the kidnapping of Cunupia used-car dealer Sachel Kungebeharry.

Kungebeharry and two other men were travelling in a car that was blocked by a police car with flashing blue lights at around 5 pm on September 25.

Three men, two of them dressed in what appeared to be police tactical uniforms, searched Kungebeharry and told him they had a warrant for his arrest.

He was bundled into the police car. The two other men were left unharmed.

Police reported a ransom of $.5 million was paid for Kungebeharry's safe release on September 29, but he remains missing.

On October 1, investigators impounded a marked police car from the Caroni Police Station, which was suspected of being used during the kidnapping.

Investigators assigned to the Professional Standards Bureau and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit detained the officers the following day.

Two of the detained officers are assigned to the Caroni Police Station and a third is reportedly assisting investigators.

Newsday understands a man known to Kungebeharry is also assisting police after one of the detained officers named him.

Head of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce Baldath Maharaj said the incident will erode confidence in the police service.

Pointing to the murder rate, he suggested confidence in the police is already low.

He said it can not be business as usual for the TTPS in the way it addresses crime and, more specifically, within its ranks.

“We have to have a quantum leap in the way we deal with things, because you can't do the same, normal things over and over and over. The measures that they used before, obviously, they have to do something that's harsher. It has to be disruptive measures. If we have to make any changes – anything that is within the order that they do and that they did before, it can’t work.

“You have to be disruptive in terms of the roadblocks and disruptive to the police force in the way they operate, so they will know that they are being looked at and can actually be (caught).”

Maharaj said Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher needs to speak out and address the damage to public confidence this incident caused.

“The commissioner should come out and make a public statement, a firm statement that tells those policemen who are involved in some kind of activity that's illegal that obviously they'll be looking at them.

“They should do psychometric assessment, lie detector tests and drug testing for selected people. That should be on a random, ongoing basis, so that there will always be a fear that whenever there's a hidden agenda, doing a psychometric assessment and lie detector test would reveal things like that.”

Currently, lie detector tests are only mandatory for TTPS recruits and officers being transferred to specialised units or branches. They can also be administered to an officer by order of the police commissioner whenever deemed necessary.

Maharaj’s belief was echoed by councillor for Felicity Sundar Jookoo.

Jookoo, who has a longstanding relationship with Kungebeharry’s family, said the incident has dented the community’s belief in the police.

“It brings more fear to the people. We don't know, when we call the police, if it's a rogue officer or if it's a real officer who will show up.

“They are more fearful for their lives because these are the people we trust with our lives to come out here and protect us.

“If they are doing these sort of negative things towards the community, it's scary and makes you think twice before calling the police.”

He said lie detector tests should be administered to officers at least twice a year.

“The lie detector is an important thing. They are the people who our lives depend on them securing us.”

He suggested the remuneration package for officers should also be looked at and they should be given additional incentives.

“Are they getting a proper salary or a proper package that they could say, ‘You know what, no matter what, negative out there, we're gonna fight’?

“I think the Minister of National Security should offer a little incentive to some of these officers for apprehending criminals and bringing them, in dead or alive.

“I'm not saying to do anything negative, but bring them in and if they come in dead, they should get a higher bonus. The police commissioner needs to sit down and analyse why police officers doing these heinous crimes.

“What could we do as a nation, or the powers that be, what can they do, to assist the officers so they would not do these crimes?”

Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed described the situation as “deeply alarming.”

In a WhatsApp message, he said, “Such actions represent a profound betrayal of public trust and further erode the already fragile confidence citizens have in our protective services.”

Mohammed added that with crime spiralling out of control, it raises serious concerns.

“Who will people turn to for help when those entrusted with their safety are committing criminal acts? This is not the first time members of the protective services have been implicated in wrongdoing, and it casts a long shadow on the force’s integrity.”

He warned people may resort to vigilante justice if they believe the system has failed them.

“The potential for such an outcome threatens the very fabric of our society. Urgent and decisive reforms are needed to restore faith in the police and ensure justice and protection for all citizens.”

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Automotive Dealers Association (TTADA) Visham Babwah said officers who commit crimes should face harsher penalties than civilians.

“There should be a different level of punishment for people within the armed forces or the protective services that are found to be committing these types of crimes.

“I don't know if we have things in place already or if the laws are not in place, but then we need to look at that, because whenever the armed forces...the protective services start committing crimes and violence, it means citizens have nowhere to turn to.

“So the government has to get some sort of different punishment for these people. Harsher penalties, much harsher penalties.”

Babwah said there does not appear to be the political will to implement the reforms needed.

“You could have whatever measures in place, but if they are not being enforced, and enforced seriously, then nothing will stop.

"The people at the top don't have the political will. They have too many friends, or maybe too many people are involved in certain sort of criminal activities.
"It starts with contracts being given out every time election comes around. So from the political side of things, nobody's interested in cleaning up the country.”

DCP Suzette Martin, in a WhatsApp response to Newsday's request for investigation on October 1, said, “There was a report of a kidnapping on (September 25) in the Central Division.

“At this time, the investigation is at a very sensitive stage and as such, I am unable to provide any further updates.

“The TTPS is actively pursuing several leads as soon as I am able to share additional information, I will.”

Calls to her phone on October 2 for comment after the news of the officers’ detention went unanswered.

Former Chaguanas chamber head Richie Sookhai, now a government senator, said he preferred not to comment, as he is politically affiliated and believes any comment on the incident should be left to the business chamber.

Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland said he could not comment as the matter is before the court.

Told the officers had only been detained and not charged, Scotland said in that case, the investigation is at a sensitive stage and he was not prepared to comment “specifically or generally” on the issue.