……DPP gives order in killing of Joshua Samaroo
BY FRANCIS JOSEPH
The police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Joshua Samaroo and the wounding of his girlfriend, Kaia Sealey, are to be charged with several offences.
The disclosure was made on Thursday morning by Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro, at a media conference at the Police Administrative Building, Port-of-Spain.
The CoP said that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed investigators to proceed with criminal charges against several police officers involved in the incident.
CoP Guevarro said the instructions came from Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC following a review of the file on Wednesday afternoon. He added, “The DPP says investigators have been directed to proceed with a series of criminal charges arising out of the situation on that day.
“At this time, no one has been arrested or charged. I can’t say what charges or the nature of the charges. At this time, investigators are directed to resolve that. We are awaiting feedback until further.
“I will not expound until I get an update. I cannot comment any further until that point. When that changes, I will come back to you.”
Based on CCTV footage, three police officers were involved in the fatal shooting on January 20 in St Augustine.
On Tuesday, the forensic report – the final piece of the puzzle – was received from the Forensic Science Centre.
On January 20, Samaroo, 31, and Sealy, 24, were shot multiple times at the corner of Bassie Street Extension and Dookiesingh Street, St Augustine, after police said an attempt to stop their vehicle in Maloney led to a chase.
Police reported that the couple allegedly failed to stop and sped away, resulting in officers pursuing the vehicle until it crashed into a drain.
A CCTV recording that later surfaced showing Samaroo with his hands outside the vehicle moments before officers opened fire. Sealy was also struck multiple times during the incident.
Both were taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, where Samaroo was pronounced dead.
Sealy reportedly suffered life-altering injuries and is now partially paralyzed, having lost the ability to walk following the shooting. She is said to be abroad seeking treatment.
