Nineteen-year-old Kadeem Griffith, who died on Thursday night, hours after he was shot near his Tunapuna home, may have been alive today had he been identified as one of the gunmen who robbed a Chinese national nine days before.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian at Singh’s Bar, located along Streatham Lodge Extension, Monte Grande, Tunapuna, proprietor Mary Singh said last week Griffith and another man robbed her business partner, a Chinese national identified only as “Martin,” of cash from his Roulette machine which he once operated at her bar.
She said the two men, whom she recognised from surveillance footage, were unmasked and she knew them “since them in pamper.” They entered her business covering their faces with jerseys and bandana and beat up “Martin” before taking $4,000 from him and fleeing.
The incident took place on August 16, at 10.25 am, she said, and it was the fourth time the Roulette machine operator was robbed.
“He (Martin) tell me don’t give it to the police because the last time they didn’t do anything” Singh said, adding that the lifespan of the footage has since passed and the robbery was not reported.
Singh, who said she recognised Griffith from a photograph shown to her yesterday, said had she reported the matter, Griffith may have been arrested and not on the corner when the shooting took place.
According to police, Griffith along with three others, Andre “Lizard” Mc Gregor, 27, Kamini Rodriquez, 26, and Kareem “Gargoyle” John, 29, were outside Mc Gregor’s garage when two vehicles pulled up and the occupants opened fire on the men. The shooting took place around 10.30 am police said.
Griffith died around 8.30 pm at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. The other victims are still in hospital.
Told of the allegations made against her grandson, Helen Jack, 54, in a telephone interview, denied he was involved in any criminal activity saying that while she was aware of the robbery at the bar it was Griffith’s associates and not he that committed the act. Earlier, at her O’Keefe Street home, Jack recalled her last moments with her grandson. The 54-year-old said the day before he was killed they spoke of how she was going to celebrate her birthday next week Thursday.
Two shot, man chopped with Chinese chopper
In an unrelated shooting two men are warded in serious condition at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital after being shot while travelling in Laventille on Thursday night.
According to police reports, around 8 pm the men were travelling along Laventille Road Extension when they were fired upon. The men, yet to be identified, were taken to hospital where they are currently warded.
Police are also investigating the chopping of a 48-year-old taxi driver who got into an argument with a man he knows. Police reports are that around 11.30 pm on Thursday, Abraham Mohammed was at his Mancharles Street, Felicity, home when he was called outside by the man. While speaking, the two began to argue and the attacker left and went to his car where he retrieved a Chinese chopper and chopped Mohammed in the head, back and arms.
The attacker then fled.