Powerful Ladies of T&T (PLOTT) said it is very disturbed by the escalating murder rate which has crossed the 100 mark before the end of the first three months of 2016.
The group lamented the senseless killing of 14-year-old Darian Nedd who was chopped and set on fire at his family’s home at South Oropouche on Sunday because he witnessed a crime.
The body has been so badly burnt that his identity could not be determined, preventing an autopsy from being done on Monday as scheduled.
Instead, forensic pathologists will have to rely on DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) samples from the remains and that of his mother, Christine, to find a match before they can determine the cause of death.
Three men are currently assisting the police in their investigations .
In a statement the organisation said, “Like many citizens across T&T, PLOTT is deeply disturbed by the escalating murder rate.”
In its review, the group used graphs to show that 86 per cent of those murdered were men and 12 per cent women.
The gender of some two per cent of the victims is yet to be determined.
Of this figure, 21 per cent represented those in the 25 and under age group.
The age group which represented the highest number of murders was the 26-35 years category. Some 13.7 per cent of the victims were in the 36-45 age group, 4.9 per cent between 46 and 55 years of age and 7.4 per cent were 56 years and over. The ages of a significant number of victims, numbering 13.7 per cent, are still unknown.
The life of the majority of victims was ended by a bullet, while 8.4 per cent were stabbed or chopped, 1.1 per cent beaten, 2.1 per cent burnt, another 2.1 per cent strangled, while the manner of death of 4.2 per cent remains undetermined.
PLOTT’s analysis said east Port- of-Spain continues to be the crime capital with 31.6 per cent of the murders for 2016 occurring in the areas of Laventille, San Juan and Belmont. In contrast the lowest number of murders were recorded in the West.
The East/West Corridor is running a close second behind east Port-of-Spain with 24.2 per cent of the murders for the year happening in that part of the country. As of March 16, South recorded 18.9 per cent of the murders and Central 14.7 per cent.
While some criminals continue to use the cover of darkness to commit murders, some have become so brazen that they take out their victims in what is termed “broad daylight,” the organisation said.
Pointing out that statistics for 2016 are yet to be uploaded to the Police Service website, the group said it will continue its own research and analysis as it seeks answers.
Until then, it called on citizens to be safe, remain on the alert and report any crimes they may be aware of, witnesses to or victims of.
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