(Trinidad Guardian) A Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) employee was killed and another wounded as gunmen attacked them as they were repairing a leaking water line in Powder Magazine, Cocorite, yesterday.
According to reports, shortly before midday Nejie Jaja, of Upper Bournes Road, St James, and Luke Rampersad were doing repairs in a trench in the community when a third worker, who was not identified by police, left in the company’s vehicle to retrieve a part needed for the job.
Residents reported hearing a volley of gunshots and when they checked they found both men suffering from gunshot wounds in the trench. They assisted police, who arrived shortly after, in removing the men from the ditch.
Jaja, who was shot twice, was taken to the St James District Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Rampersad, who was shot in his leg, was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Although his injury was deemed non-life threatening, Rampersad, 34, a waterworks craftsman, remained warded last night.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian outside the hospital, Jaja’s mother, Vander Jordon, questioned the reason for the attack.
“He was not in anything criminal. He just like girls and all the girls used to love him,” she said.
Jordon explained that both his father and brother were employed with WASA and he joined the company as an attendant three years ago.
“Since he was small he wanted to work WASA. Whatever time they called he was ready to go out to work,” she said.
Several of Jaja’s relatives who were present said they were angry with residents of the community, noting they targeted innocent men.
“Imagine they went there to fix their water and this happen. They should lock off their water for four years and let them suffer. They too wicked,” a male relative, who asked to remain unidentified, said.
They also questioned why armed guards from WASA’s Estate Police were not at the job site, as it was located in a high-risk community.
When a news team from the T&T Guardian visited the crime scene, a resident who assisted police in transporting the men to hospital criticised the police response.
“When I hear the gunshots I run to the ditch and saw the two men. The police arrived around the same time and was watching in the hole, like they did not know what to do. I had to jump in to pull them out,” the resident said.
He also suggested that Jaja might have been saved with a more professional response.
“I was holding his head in the police jeep. I am no expert but if they had been more gentle I feel he might have lived,” the man added.
In a press release yesterday, WASA’s corporate communications department confirmed the incident and expressed condolences to Jaja’s family.
“The authority has offered counselling to the families of Mr Jaja and Mr Rampersad and will be handling the the funeral and medical expenses of both men respectively,” the release said.
Homicide detectives were yet to establish a motive for Jaja’s murder last evening.
