Laventille gang is reportedly offering $20,000 to anyone who kills any soldier or police operating in Laventille. The hit was put out as the gangsters seek reprisal for the killing of reputed gang leader Dillon “Bandy” Skeete on September 25 at Desperlie Crescent, Laventille. However, National Security Minister Gary Griffith has countered this, saying they will give five times that amount to anyone who comes forward with information leading to the people who put out the hit.
Police and soldiers were put on high alert after intelligence agencies intercepted the offer, which is believed to have been made by members of the Rasta City gang in Laventille. Law enforcement officers have since been advised to be extremely cautious in the community, especially as it is coming soon after the recent death of inspector Sahadeo Singh, who was feared by many criminals in eastern Port-of-Spain.
Contacted by CNC3 yesterday, Griffith said while he could neither confirm nor deny the information, they were willing to counter it by offering five times that amount to anyone with information about it. He said: “If anyone is naive enough to give authorisation to prevent law enforcement officers from carrying out their duties, they are in for a reality check.
“No gang leader should feel he can own a block, area or turf in this country, or can give any authorisation to prevent law enforcement officers from doing their duties. Those who believe that they can do so would feel the full brunt of the law. “Law enforcement officers will be carrying out their duties without fear or favour. If anyone has information that can lead to the arrest of anyone who carries out a threat to attack law enforcement officers, we will offer them, through CrimeStoppers, the sum of $100,000.”
Around 10 pm on September 25, eyewitnesses said an unmarked Nissan X-Trail pulled alongside Skeete, Joel Tash, 22, and 25-year-old Jamaican national Tremaine Thomas, who was in Trinidad shooting a film on gangster life, Christian Huggins and Atiba Lewis. The men were told to kneel, then shot several times. Skeete, Tash and Thomas died on the spot while Huggins and Lewis were also shot but survived.
Residents had claimed it was rogue policemen and Defence Force soldiers who carried out the killings in retaliation for the June 29 killing of Lance Cpl Kayode Thomas but the police and army denied this claim.