By Nalinee Seelal, www.newsday.co.tt

A 30-year-old man who witnessed a kidnapping was shot dead while on his way to purchase cigarettes at a nearby shop at Belgrade Street, Laventille. Police reports revealed that around 2.45 pm yesterday, Kevin Joseph of Calvary Street, Maraval, was at the home of a friend, when he left to purchase cigarettes. Kevon Nicholas told police investigators he was alerted by two gunshots and on checking, saw the body of his friend lying close to a drain. Officers of the Besson Street Police Station, led by Sgt Ganpat Meetoo, visited to the scene along with the District Medical Officer.

The body was ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre. Initial checks revealed that Joseph was shot once in the head and once in the back. Two men were seen running away from the scene. Relatives of the dead man told Newsday that Joseph was recently kidnapped and managed to free himself, but this was not reported to the police. He was hiding out at Belgrade Street because he was afraid of being killed. His murder is the 251st for the year. An autopsy will be carried out on Joseph’s body today.