Senior Reporter
Commissioner of Police (CoP) Allister Guevarro has described the directive to charge a municipal police officer with the murder of acting Cpl Anusha Eversley as a “significant breakthrough” in the investigation.
The comment came hours after the instruction to charge the 28-year-old was issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard. Charges of robbery with violence, trafficking of firearms and possession of ammunition were also expected to be laid against the officer. However, he was not yet officially charged last night after officers uncovered fresh evidence in the case which they needed to verify.
Referring to the entire situation as the “height of betrayal” during a radio talk show yesterday, he also issued a warning to all police officers that no acts of transgression would be tolerated.
He applauded the developments on Tuesday, saying, “We made some very significant breakthroughs. We recovered a large quantity of the firearms that was stolen. And I am pleased to tell T&T that within the past 48 hours, one of the main suspects, who is also a member of the San Fernando Municipal Police, we received instructions to charge him for the murder of his colleague. That, in my view, is the height of betrayal.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar described the situation as “an internal betrayal” on Sunday.
Yesterday, Guevarro added, “I just want to send a message to all the persons out there, especially police officers. You wear the badge of a police officer, whether it’s transit police, municipal police, special reserve police, municipal police, or even regular police. When we put on that badge, we make an oath to protect and serve the persons of T&T. And when you betray that trust, we will have accommodation for you with reinforced bars and 24-hour security. And you will be getting three square meals, trust me.”
Guevarro said he was also hopeful that information from the citizenry will lead to a lot more of the stolen firearms being returned.
In the meantime, Crime Stoppers has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the persons responsible for Eversley’s murder. A $5,000 cash reward is also being offered for the recovery of each stolen firearm.
Eversley, 42, was discovered dead at the Municipal Police Headquarters, Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, around 4.40 am on Sunday. She was a mother of three children, aged 18, 15 and seven, and had over 19 years of service. An autopsy revealed she was beaten and strangled to death.
Asked about the relationship between the TTPS and the T&T Municipal Police Service (TTMPS), Guevarro called it a “very convoluted system.” He explained that while the TTPS remained under the ambit of the Ministry of Homeland Security, the TTMPS was under the authority of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government.
As part of the unfolding developments on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Municipal, Surrendra Sagramsingh, was sent on administrative leave for the duration of the ongoing investigation.
In a surprise move that caught both Guevarro and Sagramsingh off-guard, the letter assured that the directive was not an imputation on Sagramsingh’s character but was aimed at ensuring transparency as the investigation progressed.
Admitting the continued leaks of sensitive information from within the TTPS was a serious bug-bear for law enforcement and had been causing him significant angst, Guevarro said his attempts to shield victims’ families and prevent false narratives from being perpetuated in the public were being frustrated. He said when misleading information is published by people he labelled “keyboard warriors,” it only increases the public’s distrust in the TTPS.
Reaffirming the adoption of a zero-tolerance policy on police corruption, he argued, “There are hard-working, right-thinking police officers who are fighting to maintain the trust of the public, and the minority of them are causing us problems.”
Pointing to the fear of crime which continues to permeate the mindset of the society, the top cop acknowledged, “Even now, when you see a reduction in crime, by virtue of looking at the statistics, persons are finding it hard to believe that.”
This, he said, was not bringing comfort to anyone.
Asked if he believed the TTPS needed to be militarised now, he avoided answering directly. Instead, he cited several instances of officers who had been shot within recent times by gun-toting criminals.
He said, “It is only when you look down the barrel of a gun, then you understand the sobering reality of what we face every day as officers. I support my officers one hundred per cent in doing the right thing in a lawful manner.”
