(Trinidad Express) A BALMAIN, Couva, family say they have no sympathy for the bandits killed by police on Wednesday in Freeport, as they believe one of the five men killed had invaded their home and robbed them on Monday.
The family, who sell doubles, spoke to the Express yesterday at their home on the condition of anonymity.
They said they were fearful their lives could still be in danger, as they believe there are other people involved.
However, they believe that Kadeem John, who police killed at a house at Razack Trace, Freeport on Wednesday, terrorised their family during a home invasion on Monday.
They say they also know that 68-year-old Edward Taylor was a victim of a home invasion by the same perpetrators on Wednesday morning.
After that home invasion, police killed the six alleged bandits.
The Balmain family members believe they were targeted.
They said during the attack, which lasted about ten minutes, three armed bandits beat two members of the family and threatened to kill, rape, and kidnap other family members.
“I not sorry for them. I see people saying online that them innocent, but we know for sure that one boy was by we on Monday because his face wasn’t covered. He just had a jersey wrap around his head, but we saw his face,” a relative said.
On Sunday, the family held a prayer ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of the death of a relative.
As is customary, they held a prayer service in the morning and a singing in the evening.
They said on Monday around 11 a.m., several family members had gathered at their home when they were alerted to three men standing at their gate pointing a gun at them. The men announced a robbery. The relatives added that during the time of the attack, six adults and five children, between the ages of two and 15, were at the home.
“One had a gun and the other two were standing behind him. They demanded that everyone walk inside and lie down face down on the ground and they say they want money and jewelry,” said a relative.
When one relative explained to them that there was no money at home because it was used to fund the prayer ceremony, the bandit dealt several blows to the person. Another family member was also beaten and hit on the back of the head with the butt of the gun.
“We couldn’t do anything because they had a gun, and we were scared. They keep asking us where the money is, and we keep telling them we have no money. Then they start to threaten we,” the relative added.
The family say the men threatened to rape a pregnant relative and kidnap the two-year-old child, if they did not give them the money.
“I tell them I will give them whatever they want, but just leave us alone. Imagine you lie down on the ground there in a position you never thought you would be in,” said the relative.
The relative said the money set aside to pay rental fees for the tents and chairs, amounting to approximately $3,000, was given to the bandits. The bandits also took two laptops, six mobile phones, and jewelry, the value of which has not yet been determined.
The family say the ordeal, which lasted for about ten minutes, was shortened when one relative received a phone call from a relative.
“They (the bandits) ask who calling, and I tell them is some family coming down with two maxis, and you could see they start to get jittery. Otherwise, I know they would have kept us there longer. They tell us all to lie down, don’t watch us and they gone,” the relative added.
The incident is the first home invasion in the community and has left the residents traumatised, they say.
“You could leave your gate open before and walk anywhere. Now, everything different and since the home invasion, we gate always chained up,” said the relative.
They say they have not yet been able to sleep properly, as flashbacks continue to haunt them.
“People online saying how the police shouldn’t have killed the men. It would be sad if they (police) bring them out alive and then another family go through this. Them (the bandits) did not feel sorry when they put the children through this, and a pregnant woman. They didn’t care,” the relative said.
