Senior Reporter
The Director of Public Prosecutions has given instructions to charge a 28-year-old police officer in connection with the murder of Municipal Police Corporal Anusha Eversley, as investigations intensify into her killing and the disappearance of a large quantity of firearms and ammunition from the San Fernando Municipal Police Station.
The officer is facing charges of was charged yesterday with murder, trafficking of firearms, possession of ammunition and robbery with violence.
However, while DPP Roger Gaspard gave the advice yesterday, investigating officers said it was unlikely he would have been charged immediately. This is because the officers uncovered additional information which must be verified before going forward with the charges.
Meanwhile, five officers attached to Eversley’s station have now been suspended as the probe intensifies. Among those suspended are an acting superintendent who was in charge of the station at the time of the incident, two officers who were allegedly sleeping when the crimes occurred and two female officers who were at another location.
ACP Surrendra Sagramsingh, head of the Municipal Police, has also been sent on leave during the probe.
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.
The T&T Police Service (TTPS) has stated that investigations were being strategically led by Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro, DCP Natasha George, ACP Richard Smith and Snr Supt Sean Dhillpaul, while the investigation is being supervised by Supt Persad and members of Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region Three.
Commenting on the investigations yesterday, the CoP said, “The swift and meticulous work of our investigators reflects the standard of professionalism the Trinidad and Tobago Police demand of itself.”
Although Guevarro has not disclosed the exact number of weapons stolen, police sources confirm that more than 100 firearms were stolen from the station’s armoury. So far, the TTPS has recovered 43 firearms and more than 900 rounds of assorted ammunition. Meanwhile, a $100,000 reward is being offered by Crime Stoppers of Trinidad and Tobago for information leading to arrests in the murder case, along with a $5,000 reward for the recovery of each stolen firearm.
When Guardian Media visited the Municipal Police Station yesterday, there was no heightened police presence in the yard. An officer, who requested anonymity, said the station is functioning but structural changes were taking place.
Guardian Media also returned to Sophie Trace in Claxton Bay, the accused officer’s hometown, where a relative described the development as deeply troubling.
Residents, meanwhile, said they were still in disbelief. They said the officer and his family moved into the neighbourhood more than five years ago and were renting in an apartment building.
“I never know him to be a bad fella. I was surprised about what happened,” a resident said.
He recalled that on Sunday, he was on the main road when he saw six police vehicles turn into the street, and that was when he realised something was happening. He said not long after he saw the report on social media.
“Everybody was shocked in the neighbourhood.”
While the police acted swiftly to recover some of the weapons, he said, “It have the people feeling not safe because you don’t know who is criminal, if is the police, you don’t know.”
Noting that the incident has deepened the public’s lack of trust in the police, he said, the police hierarchy “have to do better.”
ASP Maharaj is investigating.
