Trinidad – COMMISSIONER of Police (CoP) Allister Guevarro said he was “deeply disturbed” on seeing a social media video depicting a man being savagely beaten and even chopped on his forehead in Arouca by a group of men who believed him to be up to no good.
“Good day Mr Douglas, thank you for bringing this deeply disturbing video to my attention,” the top cop told this reporter on July 30 when sent a copy of the viral video and asked for a response. Guevarro said the police have already launched an “urgent investigation” into the incident depicted.
“Our teams are working to verify the location, identify the individuals involved and determine whether the footage reflects a recent event. We urge any witnesses or community members with relevant information to come forward, as their co-operation is essential to ensuring justice is served.”
Guevarro said he wanted to be absolutely clear on one thing.
“Acts of vigilante violence and mob rule have no place in a lawful society. The TTPS does not and will not tolerate any form of extra-judicial punishment or public brutality.”
He said while citizens have every right to protect themselves from imminent harm, that right does not extend to inflicting cruelty and actual bodily harm by way of administering “street justice.”
He promised that anyone who crosses that line must and will be held accountable under the full extent of the law.
“Above all, the TTPS remains committed to the rule of law, the dignity of all people and preservation of public trust. We will continue to pursue the facts in this matter with urgency and impartiality.”
In the video, which began circulating on July 30, a badly bleeding man is seen being savagely beaten across his bare buttocks by a man using a length of wood, who is not captured in the video, and who shouts repeatedly “doh f–king tief” in time with each blow. The incident is said to have taken place in Bon Air Gardens, Arouca.
In another video frame, a man is heard threatening to chop and kill the man if he did not give answers to questions asked of him. Without warning, even as the man spat out blood as he tried to speak, the cutlass is seen flashing through the air as the man was chopped on his forehead above his right eye. Blood immediately pours from the laceration.
Deputy Commissioner Junior Benjamin who was also sent the video by Newsday, was mortified at what he saw.
“What I will tell you is that it (the video) is very disturbing.”
Benjamin said he had sent the video to the Cyber Crimes Unit to determine its authenticity and location.
“I will follow up from that. From then I will be able to send it to the divisional commander to look into this matter and get to the bottom of it, because that is totally unacceptable. We will not tolerate that kind of behaviour,” Benjamin said.
He expressed disgust that someone – seemingly among the perpetrators – would see it fit to make a video of the assault.
“We are going to look into that. That is totally unacceptable and we would not tolerate that at all in TT.”
Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales also expressed his concern to Newsday via a WhatsApp message.
“I don’t know the details of this matter but this is chilling and disconcerting. This is exactly the floodgates that will be opened with current ‘stand your ground’ legislation in TT and given the recent comments by key government spokespersons like the Minister of Defence.
“Expect things to get worse when firearms become available to people who may feel they have an outright responsibility to kill almost for any situation that may constitute a breach of the criminal laws on properties.” Gonzales predicted TT was heading down a slippery slope as a nation.
“I hope that citizens take careful note of what is being offered as a solution to crime in Trinidad and Tobago. Listen well to the ministers and their PM. Imagine if this person had a firearm rather than a cutlass.”
(Newsday)