Chief Sec laments Tobago's 5th murder

Kelon Malcolm -

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine is calling for a thorough investigation into the island’s latest murder.

Augustine spoke with Newsday on August 25, one day after the island recorded its fifth murder. On August 24, shopkeeper Kelon Malcolm, 26, was shot dead at his business place.

He said: “Sincerest condolences to the family and friends. At this time the investigation is ongoing, and we will be able to make sense of it all in the coming days. Every murder in Tobago is one too many.”

Senior Supt Earl Eli told Newsday that around 8.50 pm, Malcolm was at his shop on Pembroke Bay Road, Pembroke, with his common-law wife when a masked man dressed in black and wearing a camouflage mask entered. The assailant pointed a gun at Malcolm and fired several shots, hitting him about the body.

The gunman reportedly pointed the weapon at Malcolm’s common-law wife and demanded money before fleeing the scene. Malcolm was taken to the Roxborough Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigations are continuing.

Augustine said while he has not met form​ally with the minister of homeland security since coming into office, he has had discussions with the top brass of the police.

“We have made many gains, but we still have some gaps that we are working to close. Noteworthy, we have been solving all murders on the island of Tobago."

Tobago’s first murder was recorded when residents of Mt Hay heard gunshots on the night of January 3. The victim was later identified as 15-year-old Beris Joseph, a student of the Signal Hill Secondary School. The teenager’s body was discovered on the roadway on January 4.

The second was on January 8 when Crown Point police received a report of a man engulfed by fire at Gaskin Bay Road, Bon Accord. The victim, Djan Melville, 30, was taken to the Scarborough General Hospital and a team of officers, led by PCs Phillips and Edwards, found the victim with multiple burns to his body. Melville was later transferred to Trinidad where had been warded at the Port of Spain General Hospital until his death on January 17.

The third was Vernardo George, of Pembroke. George said to be an employee of Glencon Ltd was shot dead on Turtle Beach, Black Rock, on March 25. According to reports, George was having lunch in a van with a colleague when four masked gunmen walked up and opened fire on him. He died on the spot.

The fourth was 22-year-old Trevon Walker of Lady Smith Trace in Moriah. Reports said Walker was killed in a drive-by shooting along Highlands Road in Moriah, a short distance from his home. On arrival, officers of the Tobago Division found Walker's lifeless body at the scene. Reports say officers responded to gunshots.

In 2024, the island recorded 26 murders.

In an unrelated incident, police have reported the discovery of a decomposed body in Lambeau.

Police sources told Newsday that around 1.05pm on August 2​5, an informant went to the Shirvan Road Police Station and reported that he had not seen ​Ray Dalrymple originally of South Trinidad and residing at Sandy Hill Lambeau for six days.

As a result, he went to his home to check up on him at around noon on August 25, knocked on his locked door and walked around his apartment and observed a lot of flies at his bedroom window and requested someone check on him.

A construction worker nearby broke open the apartment door and a party of officers responded and observed Dalrymple lying on his back on a mattress partially decomposed.

The landlord last saw Dalrymple on August 22.