The T&T Police Service is now offering professional counselling services to the daughters and wife of slain SRP Richard Babwah.
Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday, Babwah’s wife, Akeba Sorzano, confirmed the service has reached out to her after reading the girls had been severely traumatised by their father’s killing.
“They contacted me this morning and told me that they are offering counselling for the girls and I…I have been really taking this hard…I am not eating not sleeping, nothing…maybe I really need to talk to someone,” Sorzano said.
Sorzano said the family has been monitoring Babwah’s daughters, ages nine and eight, very closely.
“Today (yesterday) I am just spending time with them, laying with them...they are only playing hopscotch and asking for games to play…so we are doing that with them because they have not accepted that their daddy is gone yet…they are still trying to come to terms with that,” Sorzano said.
Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has expressed sadness over Babwah’s death and extended condolences to relatives and friends of the slain officer.
On Monday, Babwah had just gone off duty and was at Long Yuan Chinese Restaurant in Arouca at about 5.20 pm when two men entered, one armed with a gun, and announced a robbery. Babwah drew his service pistol and there was an exchange of gunfire, during which time one of the suspects was hit in the lower abdomen. Babwah sustained several gunshot wounds about the body and died on the scene. The bandits then made their escape in a getaway car.
The wounded suspect, a 33-year-old Maloney man, sought medical attention at the Arima District Health Facility, where he was subsequently detained. He was then transferred to the Eric Williams’ Medical Sciences Complex and remains under police guard. The other two suspects were also subsequently held by police.
Babwah, who had four years’ service, was last assigned to the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region 2, Arouca. His funeral is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow at the Faith Assemble Church in Arouca then to the Belgrove’s Crematorium in Tacarigua for a private cremation.