News
Laurel V Williams
Police are currently investigating three violent gun-related cases that occurred recently, including the charge laid in the murder of 21-year-old Savanna Dyer, the update on the shooting ambush of the prison officer in Piarco, and the fatal shooting of a self-employed man in Chaguanas.
In the case of Dyer, a 21-year-old security officer from Laventille has been charged with her murder and is set to appear before a High Court master on June 23.
Kibwe Wells, of Quarry Street, East Dry River, will appear in the South Court B.
On June 21, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal instructed officers of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three, to charge Wells after reviewing the case file.
She also directed that another person be charged in connection with the murder.
Newsday learned that the second suspect was receiving treatment at the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital up to the afternoon of June 22.
The investigation was led by Supt Persad, ASP Maharaj, and Sgt Bridgemohan. PC Lall laid the charge.
Dyer, of Diego Martin, was shot and killed on June 14. Her semi-nude body was found at the roadside in Carlsen Field, within the Freeport police district.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows her liming at a bar in Barataria on the night of June 13 with people she knew.
She left personal items, including a purse, in the bar and was last seen getting into a black car nearby.
That same night, Dyer posted a video to her WhatsApp status, showing herself in the back seat of a moving vehicle.
After the discovery of her body, several videos related to the incident circulated on social media.
On June 16, police arrested Wells and another suspect.
On June 17, a man calmly appeared to confess to the crime in videos that went viral.
However, Newsday has not been able to verify the authenticity of the videos.
On the afternoon of June 22, a close female relative of Dyer expressed frustration with the lack of official communication.
She briefly spoke to Newsday by phone.
“No one called to update me on anything. We are still left with many unanswered questions. We are in limbo.”
“There are so many unanswered questions. This is frustrating. I know there is a lot they (the police) cannot say, but no one is saying anything to me. People are saying all kinds of things in the media. I cannot rely on the media.”
CoP confirms: Ambushed prison officer alive
Meanwhile, contrary to rumours circulating online, 38-year-old prison officer Govindra Balgobin — who was ambushed and shot over the weekend in an apparent attempt on his life — is still alive.
In a June 22 statement, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro confirmed that Balgobin remains in critical condition at hospital.
He added that the police continue to monitor his status closely and are offering full support to his family.
“We ask the nation to unite in solidarity and prayer for his recovery; standing not only with his loved ones but also with his colleagues in the Prisons Service and the wider law-enforcement family, who have been deeply affected by this incident,” the statement said.
Balgobin, of Barrackpore, was shot shortly after 8 p.m. on June 20 while in his car near the Piarco Intersection. He was returning home after completing his shift at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca.
The gunmen fled in a wagon along the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway, which later crashed into a pole, injuring the occupants. Police recovered a firearm from the vehicle. One suspect remains in hospital under police guard, and the other is assisting investigators.
The statement noted that both the police and Prisons Service had activated tactical responses to the attack.
“However, given the sensitive and ongoing nature of the investigation, it would be inappropriate at this time to comment further on operational strategies or investigative leads.”
“We also urge the public to continue partnering with the police and share information which can ensure that all the people involved in this heinous act are brought to justice.”
Commissioner of Prisons Carlos Corraspe and head of the Prisons Association Gerard Gordon also condemned the shooting, describing it as a cowardly act. The association called on all prison officers to heighten vigilance. Balgobin’s family has declined to speak publicly, citing security concerns.
Police hunt Chaguanas Murder suspect
In a separate incident, police are continuing the search for the person who shot and killed a self-employed man in Chaguanas.
Neil Adrian Collins, 25, of Sobo Extension, La Brea, was gunned down around 1 am on June 20 while liming at a shop on Walcott Lane in Enterprise. He died on the spot. Collins, who sold clothes for a living, would have turned 26 next month.
According to police reports, Collins and another man were liming and drinking when a man in dark clothing, including a hoodie, walked up to the entrance of the shop and opened fire. Collins was hit and collapsed, while the other man managed to escape unharmed. The shooter fled in an unknown direction.
Officers from the Central Division and the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three, responded and processed the scene. An autopsy is expected to be done this week at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. No arrests have been made.
All three investigations remain active.
