Sick dog' sells out Vet snatchers
Abandoned pooch leads cops to Never Dirty hideout

By GAIL-ANN RAMLAKHAN

THE "sick dog" that the alleged kidnappers used as a cover to snatch Maraval Veterinarian, Dr. Azzizul Rahman, last month, is who sold them out to the police.

That is the story that was related to this newspaper last week by residents of Never Dirty in Morvant, where the bust took place.

And it was later confirmed by police and underworld sources.

Shawn Joseph, Robert Rosales and Akiba Buntin are now charged with the March 1 abduction.

They are out on $100,000 bail, each.

One Never Dirty woman, who asked not to be named, told Sunday Mirror: "It's amazing, but these three guys are not unemployed.

"Two of them work at the Port of Spain General Hospital, and the third drives a delivery truck in the daytime, and ‘pulls bull' on evenings.

"This third guy has a girl child with a young girl in the area, but he does not mind her.

"They thought that they could put down some wuk and get easy money, but they were caught because of their stupidity, and the dog they left behind in the vet's office when they snatched him.

"In the first place, they left some clues about where they were holding the doctor.

"In the three days he was locked up, two payments were received before they released him on the Lady Young Road.

"And, one fellow started showing off on the block with plenty money and jewelry before the most jokey thing happened.

"The police decide to bring the dog up by the Morvant Flyover and then turn it loose and see what would happen.

"Well, people normally say that a dog is man's best friend, but this one was the worst enemy and nightmare for these guys," the woman disclosed with a chuckle.

"The officers were armed to the teeth as they followed the dog from the main road.

"First, it led the lawmen along Laventille Road Extension towards Mon Repos, then turned left into Romain Lands.

"Realising that it was close to home, it ran uphill, straight to its master's home, about three quarters of a mile from the walkover.

"The owner, however, was in no mood to reward the animal for being faithful and loyal ... especially when the police found thousands of dollars stashed away in wardrobe drawers in the house.

"It was a straight case of dog eating their supper," another woman chimed in.

"It left me doggone for awhile because those fellows really had me fooled.

"I never thought they could be involved in that kind of thing, but it only goes to show that you really can't judge a book by its cover."

According to other worried residents of the area, Morvant is not only one of the country's leading "killing fields", it has now become a major kidnapping zone.

They noted that a spate of murders started on Carnival Saturday night (February 5) when "two innocent young men" were shot in a fete in Malick.

This was followed by a murder at Morvant Junction, and then another followed in Never Dirty.

Following the bust in the vet's kidnapping, a fourth and fifth person was held for the same crime ... the last in Malick when police rescued the victim and reportedly arrested his guard while he was sleeping on the job.

Since the heavy activity in the area, the police helicopter has taken to "buzzing" the area regularly at night ... something which some of the residents take issue with.

"When they come down low, glasses and other wares in our cabinet are blown about like leaves and break," one man fumed.

"Some water tanks have also been blown over during these raids.

"They (the police) think that there is a safe house up here, and while we want to be safe from these criminals, that chopper is proving to be a real nightmare when it comes."

http://www.tntmirror.com/sunday/2005/apr10/story05.htm