^{Trinidad and Tobago! 2026} Woman to appear in court on larceny charge, Golconda woman identified as body found floating off Tobago beach, SoE yields 18 arrests 10 charges on 1st day, Trinidad and Tobago declares new state of emergency over persistent violent crime, One dead two wounded after east Port-of-Spain shooting, Triple murder in Laventille sparks calls for another SoE, Traumatised residents recount terror after Couva double murder, Court reserves judgment in Republic Bank break-in appeal, Signal Hill man shot dead Tobago’s first murder, Diego’s deadly dawn: Residents cry for hangman’s return, Teen killed two shot during J’Ouvert revelry

2026.3.4 Woman to appear in court on larceny charge
A woman is expected to appear before the High Court on March 9th to answer to a charge stemming from an online vehicle sale.
On September 2nd 2024, a man responded to an online ad for the sale of a white Nissan Wingroad valued at $50,000.
The victim said he deposited a down-payment of $6,000 into a local bank account, however he never received the vehicle and attempts to recover his money were also unsuccessful.
On March 3rd 2026, officers of the Fraud Squad executed a search warrant at a residence in Sangre Grande, where they arrested Chinara Collingwood.
She was formally charged with Larceny of the sum of $6,000 and has since been granted $30,000 bail.
The TTPS is reminding persons to exercise caution when conducting online transactions and to verify the legitimacy of sellers before making advance payments.

2026.3.3 Trinidad and Tobago declares new state of emergency over persistent violent crime
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Trinidad and Tobago declared a new state of emergency Tuesday, only about a month after the end of the previous one, as authorities in the Caribbean nation continue to grapple with high levels of violent crime.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar cited credible reports of attacks planned against law enforcement officers in reimposing the emergency, which grants the government additional powers, including to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants.
Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency, with the last one ending Jan. 31.
Bissessar said the country’s National Security Council has noted that ongoing crime has led to “multiple deaths due to mass shootings and that the continuance of reprisal shootings amongst criminal gangs, if left unchecked, would endanger public safety.”
The state of emergency has an initial duration of up to 15 days, but the government can extend it if needed. Government officials did not immediately announce any plans for a curfew.
The latest move to curb crime is expected to have a negative impact on tourism revenue.
“It really isn’t good for tourism,” said Reginald Mac Lean, president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association.
With ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Mac Lean said the state of emergency comes “at a time when we should be capitalizing on what is happening in the rest of the world, to encourage people to come to our shores.”
The twin-island nation has already recorded 63 killings so far this year, just one killing shy of the count for the same period last year.
The country’s main opposition slammed the newest state of emergency, accusing the government of failing in its attempts to address the crime situation.
“This government has demonstrated time and again that it prefers authoritarian measures over sound, strategic crime management, and once again, it has chosen to restrict the freedoms of citizens rather than address the systemic problems of crime in Trinidad and Tobago,” opposition leader Pennelope Beckles said in a statement.

2026.2.28 Triple murder in Laventille sparks calls for another SoE
Even as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar expressed serious concern over yesterday’s triple murder in Laventille, at least one resident is again calling for a State of Emergency (SoE), saying the country’s crime situation is out of control.
Declining to give her name, the young woman, who is the companion of one of the murdered men, said, “Yes! I think a lot of people would welcome another SoE in the country.”
Speaking from the community of McShine Lands, Laventille, she said the killings left several children fatherless, forcing mothers to take on the role of breadwinners overnight.
The victims, who were shot around 1 am, were identified as Jesse Nelson, Keon Alexander, and Dwayne Alexander. All three lived just a short distance from where the shooting occurred.
While many residents in the immediate area declined to speak with Guardian Media, one woman quietly commented, “They were like brothers to me. They were good men,” before flicking her cigarette butt into a nearby drain. Standing in her doorway, she confirmed sending her children to school while anxiously awaiting their return.
A man sitting nearby, near a pile of empty puncheon bottles, said, “This is the third time they shoot up my house.” Both residents recalled the men laughing and talking just minutes before gunfire erupted.
According to reports, the victims were liming on a stairwell outside one of the homes when three gunmen ran up and opened fire before fleeing south toward Straker Village, Laventille.
Yesterday, the area remained quiet except for barking dogs, with residents keeping behind locked doors.
Dian Nelson, the mother of 33-year-old Jesse Nelson, broke down as she described her son as a loving father who was well respected in the community. She confirmed that Nelson, a fabricator, had survived a similar shooting in 2023, during which he was shot more than 20 times, but maintained he had never been involved in criminal activity.
A close female friend of Nelson said, “He was a loving person, well-known in the community, always willing to help. He respected the elderly and was a great father.” She noted that the three victims were close friends who often cooked and hung out together, saying, “They used to cook together, hang out together. As they say, buss a pot and lime together as friends.”
Referring to the fear and quiet in the area, she said, “This community has lost many lives. I moved away years ago because of the crime, but even being back here is traumatising because of the bloodshed.” She called for long-term security measures to restore law and order, adding, “The government needs to do something about the crime situation because it is getting out of hand.”
Asked if she would support another SoE, she replied, “Yeah, I think an SoE or something similar should be put in place to deal with crime because it is literally getting out of hand. How many children have to be fatherless? How many mothers have to become breadwinners in these hard times?”
A shopkeeper living on the hillside opposite the shooting site echoed the concern, saying, “They are starting to kill one another inside now. It is complete madness.”
Government response
Responding to a question from Port-of-Spain South MP Keith Scotland in the House of Representatives about immediate and long-term security measures following the triple murder and the broader upsurge in homicides, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander said the situation had effectively placed him in “a Zone of Special Operation.”
He said an early-morning meeting with the T&T Police Service executive had been held to implement strategies aimed at making the area safer. While he declined to provide specifics, Alexander said measures would include “targeted operations, assistance from teams outside, both air and other operations, and continued investigations of gangs after the SoE, which will form an integral part of ongoing investigations.”
Alexander assured that the area would be treated “in a particular way … almost like a zone.”
Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro declined to comment on the killings or whether another SoE was being considered.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said she had “very serious concerns” and intends to convene another meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) to discuss strategies. She described it as “regrettable” that President’s Senators and Opposition Senators did not support the ZOSO Bill, noting she had met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who praised the legislation.
Persad-Bissessar added, “There are other things we can do, and when the NSC meets, we will have that discussion.” She is expected to convene the meeting “very soon.”

2026.2.23 Court reserves judgment in Republic Bank break-in appeal
Justices of Appeal Mark Mohammed, Maria Wilson and Ricky Rahim have reserved judgment in an expedited appeal brought by Republic Bank Limited (RBL), which is challenging a High Court ruling ordering it to compensate a former employee following a 2022 break-in at its Couva branch.
The panel heard submissions from Senior Counsel Kerwyn Garcia, who appeared for the bank, and attorney Kiel Taklalsingh, who represented former employee Curtis Mathura.
In October 2024, Justice Carol Gobin ruled in favour of Mathura, finding that the bank’s security systems fell below the required standard of care after he lost approximately $300,000 in jewellery and foreign currency stored in his safety deposit box.
Mathura, who worked with RBL for nearly 31 years before retiring, had maintained a safety deposit box at the Couva branch since 2013. He stored jewellery, including irreplaceable family heirlooms from his parents and grandparents, as well as foreign currency.
Between May 29 and 30, 2022, intruders drilled a hole through a wall of the bank and accessed several safety deposit boxes, including Mathura’s. No one has been charged in connection with the incident. Mathura filed suit after the bank denied liability and refused compensation.
In his appeal submissions, Garcia argued that Gobin was “manifestly wrong” in her findings. He contended that the extraordinary nature of the break-in was not the proper test for determining whether the bank exercised ordinary care.
Garcia submitted that RBL had implemented multiple layers of security, including motion sensors and CCTV systems, thereby meeting the contractual obligation to provide a secure environment.
Addressing evidence that a plastic bag had been placed over a surveillance camera for more than 24 hours without detection, Garcia said continuous live monitoring was not contractually promised. He argued that CCTV footage was reviewed after an alarm was triggered and, since no alarm was activated, this did not establish that the system was flawed.
He further submitted that the installation of additional cameras after the heist did not amount to an admission that the prior system was inadequate, but rather reflected enhanced precautionary measures.
Taklalsingh, however, maintained that the length of time the intruders operated undetected demonstrated a failure to meet the standard of ordinary care and due diligence.
He argued that the thieves were able to cover a camera, use high-powered tools to bore through concrete, access the vault, and exit the premises—all over a period of roughly 28 hours—without detection.
Responding to questions from the bench, Taklalsingh said the $200 annual security fee paid for the safety deposit box created a reasonable expectation that the bank was providing security for customers’ belongings. He added that insurance coverage was merely suggested, not contractually required.
While acknowledging that employees activated the bank’s security system, including motion sensors, Taklalsingh said that was insufficient if intruders were able to remain inside the building from about 1 am on Sunday until 5 am the following day without being detected.
The judges indicated that the matter is significant and said a written judgment would be delivered as soon as possible.
Mathura is also represented by attorneys Stefan Ramkissoon, Rajiv Sochan and Matthew Allahar. Garcia was assisted by attorneys Tonya Rowley and Hillary Muddeen on behalf of RBL.

2026.2.19 One dead, two wounded after east Port-of-Spain shooting
A shooting in east Port-of-Spain today ended with the death of one man and the wounding of two others, police said.
Sources and residents confirmed the shooting took place at 10:45 am near the Mango Rose Housing Complex in east Port-of-Spain.
One man identified as Dwayne Simon was killed, while two others were wounded.
The wounded men were taken to hospital where they remained up to 11:30 am today.
Officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force who were in the area on a school visit went to the scene and were later joined by officers of the Besson Street Police Station and the Port of Spain Task Force.
One man who was struck by bullet fragments from the attack said he was throwing away garbage at a nearby dumpster before going to work when he heard gunfire.
Investigations continue.

2026.1.10 Signal Hill man shot dead, Tobago’s first murder
Police are investigating the murder of a man who was shot dead at Signal Hill, Tobago, on January 9.
The victim has been identified as Jamaille Fraser, 25, also known as “Stumpy,” of Cornal Rock Avenue, Signal Hill.
Police said Fraser’s murder is the first for the year in Tobago.
According to a police report, around 10.34 pm on January 9, a resident returning home from work found a man lying motionless on the ground with what appeared to be head injuries.
The victim was wearing a white vest and short pants.
Police were called in, and the victim was identified.
First responders observed what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the victim’s head.
Fraser’s body was taken to the Scarborough Regional Hospital Mortuary, pending an autopsy.
Investigations are ongoing.

2026.1.8 Diego’s deadly dawn: Residents cry for hangman’s return

DESPITE TT closing 2025 with its lowest murder rate in a decade, the dawn of 2026 has brought little comfort to the residents of Diego Martin. A bloody start to the year has left the community reeling, with three of the nation’s 11 murders occurring in their boundaries. As grief turns to frustration, the cry for the return of the hangman is echoing through the area.

The latest victim to be added to the grim national list is 33-year-old Elijah Williams of Blue Basin. Williams was shot and killed on January 7, marking the second murder in that specific enclave in less than 24 hours.

When Newsday visited the borough on January 8 to speak with residents, the atmosphere was a mix of sombre resignation and simmering anger.

Sitting in the shade on Beausejour Road, accompanied by two men, Larry Duprey did not mince words. To him, the current state of “lawlessness” requires a return to the ultimate penalty.

“Crime comes from the top,” Duprey said, nursing a strong drink. “But what can probably stop it is to bring back hanging. When criminals realise there is a life-or-death consequence for their actions, they will reconsider their actions more seriously.”

While Duprey supports capital punishment, he also pointed to the “empty pockets” driving young men towards criminal activity. He cited chronic unemployment in Diego Martin as a major contributing factor pushing youths toward criminality.

“To get young people away from crime, you have to give them jobs. Give them hope. Lack of both is a serious problem,” he lamented. “When a man doesn’t have a dollar in his pocket, that will worry anybody. Everybody needs to earn an honest dollar. Everybody has commitments: everybody needs to survive, right?”

Further up the road at the Patna Recreational Ground, Zachary Looney, popularly known by his sobriquet “DJ Versatile,” was spending quality time with his young son. For him, the issue is not merely political but spiritual and structural. He argued a change of government alone would not solve the scourge of violence.

“Governments come and go, but the problem still isn’t solved,” Looney said.

“You can have programmes from now until kingdom come, but everybody has free will. Everybody has a choice. Having a police presence does not guarantee safety in these communities. You can do all kinds of things, but men have free choice, and sometimes they choose to go down the wrong road.”

Looney clarified that his comments were not a judgement on Williams, whom he did not know personally. Instead, he noted while some murders are the result of “criminal elements” choosing a life of crime, many others involve innocent victims caught in the crossfire.

Looney offered an alternative to the now defunct social employment programmes like the cepep and URP projects. He proposed the state should utilise young offenders sentenced to hard labour for community upkeep under heavy police supervision.

“If the jails are being overrun and there is no space, let them do hard time. If you get rid of the programmes, let the prisoners do the work of Cepep/URP. Let them clean the communities and upkeep the savannahs,” Looney argued.

He suggested this would alleviate the issue of “ghost contractors”, a point of contention in Parliament. Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen, speaking in the House on November 26, said a significant portion of the URP workforce existed only “on paper”. Of the 928 workers listed, many could not be found, and some were not even residing in the country.

“It solves two problems in one,” Looney said. “It saves taxpayer money and actually gets the work done in the community where it is needed.”

Not everyone in the borough believes the gallows are the answer. Amanda Francis argued the focus should remain on socio-economic empowerment and judicial efficiency.

“We have to find ways to make sure the most vulnerable in society are able to have their needs met with dignity,” Francis told Newsday.

“Empower them to take care of themselves and show them there are better options. The government can use better marketing to make sure citizens actually know about the social programmes that are in place to help.”

Francis does not support the call for resuming hangings, arguing it is an ineffective way to reduce crime in a system where the “big fish” rarely face the rope.

“We need to focus on improving our detection rate and the processing times in the courts. We also need to make rehabilitation the main focus of the prison system. So far, our approach has just been to punish, and that hasn’t really given the results we want.”

At the Bagatelle Junction, a resident identified only as Ms Judy waited for a bus. For her, the rot starts in the home.

“It starts at home with good family values and things like the family sitting down together.”

She insists the first thing is God, and he is the foundation thought she acknowledges at times: “You try to guide them (young people) in the right path, but sometimes they still go out and think differently because of the friends they keep.”

As she spoke, a police van filled with officers patrolled past the junction. Judy, who has lived in the borough for 43 years, nodded toward the vehicle.

“We are glad when we see them. We are glad for the presence of the police up and down. We welcome that, but they need to beef it up.”

The political pendulum

The conversation surrounding the death penalty is not a new one, but it has regained momentum following the 2025 General Election cycle. During the campaign, then-opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar promised to resume hangings if her party was returned to political power.

Now serving as Prime Minister, Persad-Bissessar said during a post-Cabinet press conference at the Red House on May 15 she has instructed her legal and security team to investigate the resumption of the deathy penalty.

Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, Minister of Justice Devesh Maharaj and Attorney General John Jeremie have been tasked with updating the Cabinet.

Despite the Prime Minister’s previous campaign promises, the government has yet to provide a definitive timeline for when, or if, the state will pull the lever.

Newsday reached out to Persad-Bissessar via WhatsApp for comment on the Diego Martin community’s call for the return of the hangman and for an update on the government’s current stance. As of press time, no response was received.