Several murders rock Trinidad and Tobago

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Dec 4, CMC –At least eight people were killed over a 72 hour period in Trinidad and Tobago as the country recorded at least 16 murders in the first four days of this month.
Police said that the latest victims, Akiel Edwards aka “Ratty”, and a man identified only as “Shem”, were gunned down in Morvant along the east-west corridor on Monday morning.
On Sunday, the authorities said that Johnathan Gobin, 25, Dwayne Callendar, 29, Mota Ali and Jamal Modeste as well as one unidentified man were killed in separate incidents across the country.
The police said three people were shot and killed on Saturday, while on Friday, gunmen shot and killed five people including Doolalchan Lutchman, of Tobago.
Police are also investing the attempted murder of 36-year-old Dillian Johnson, whom the Trinidad Express newspaper said is at the centre of allegations involving Chief Justice Ivor Archie.
It said Johnson, who has described himself as a friend of the Chief Justice, is being treated at the San Fernando General Hospital, south of here after an armed man approached and shot him while he sat in the veranda of his home on Sunday night.
The newspaper has claimed that its investigations have found that the Chief Justice tried to influence Supreme Court judges to change their State provided security in favour of private security where Johnson is employed as a consultant.
So far this year 434 people have been murdered here. Last year, the figure stood at 463 and in 2015, the murder toll was 410.