Trinidad citizen alleges years of abuse after testifying against police officer in 2009

Trinidad and Tobago: A citizen of Trinidad and Tobago has come forward with a detailed plea for protection while claiming to have faced years of victimization, intimidation and false arrest after becoming the main witness against a police officer in 2009. 

The individual, who requested anonymity while talking with WIC News, said that his life along with the lives of his family members have been placed at risk due to the failure of state agencies to provide witness protection. Even when provided witness protection his life was threatened by officers of the witness protection who he claimed tormented him the entire time he was in there until he was abandoned in 2019. 

Abandonment and Harassment in Witness Protection 

According to letters and documents shared with WIC News, the citizen alleged a long list of abuses while being under the country’s Witness Protection Programme. He claims that he was falsely accused of threatening the families of police officers and was also subjected to constant harassment while being forced to live in unsafe conditions. 

Furthermore, he alleges that senior officers entered his safe house room unaccounted and then traumatised him and left him fearful for his safety. 

The citizen says financial support promised to him and his family was denied. Not only this, but he was made to work while still being under the programme in order to survive.  

He claims that he was left to pay his own utilities, denied food supplies which were given to other witnesses and was placed in dangerous locations. 

One of the most serious claims is that a senior officer threatened to kill him in front of another officer and a hotel staff member after he produced a recording that contradicted an official account. He also alleges that officers from the programme unlawfully accessed his mobile phone and downloaded private content including sensitive photographs. 

Intimidation Through Arrests and Violence 

The documents further describe multiple arrests which the citizen says were false and designed to intimidate him. These include being charged in 2010 for larceny of forty thousand dollars during which time he spent almost two weeks in police custody, and separate arrests for assault and robbery. He also recounts being detained in 2019 for allegedly operating a gaming machine at a bar. According to him, each of these cases was either dismissed or collapsed due to lack of evidence, but not before he spent time in prison or in police custody. 

In one account, the citizen recalls being taken out of a vehicle by an officer in uniform and forced to walk from Penal to Siparia at gunpoint. In another, he says that he was assaulted and threatened in Barrackpore and despite showing police the video evidence of the threats, no action was taken. He also claims that officers told potential employers not to hire him which made it nearly impossible for him to secure work. 

In addition to this, the citizen claims that he took part in undercover operations alongside the police service which included operations targeting gun and drug dealers however he was never formally recognised or safeguarded for his role. He claims he was told to carry an unlicensed firearm during these operations and later received threats from persons arrested as a result of his cooperation. 

Formal Plea to Authorities and International Bodies 

In a formal plea dated July 15, 2025, addressed to the President of Trinidad and Tobago, the Commissioner of Police, and international bodies including the United Nations, the citizen requested full investigations into his claims.  

He listed accusations of assault, threats, misconduct, abandonment of a state witness, larceny, and destruction of property. He also asked for compensation for the years he has been unable to work, housing assistance, and protection for his children. 

On July 23, 2025, the Office of the President acknowledged receipt of the letter. In a written response, the Office confirmed that President Christine Kangaloo had noted the contents of the complaint and had referred the matter to the relevant authorities. The letter expressed wishes for a speedy resolution, but the citizen says his fears remain. 

The citizen says he cannot live a normal life, fear constant retaliation and believe elements within the police and judiciary are working against him. He insists that only an independent international investigation can guarantee justice and transparency. 

Disclaimer: The allegations contained in this report are based on the citizen’s claims and supporting documents provided to WIC News. The matters referenced remain under review by the relevant authorities, and all parties mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. WIC News confirms that the information presented is not fictional or fabricated and reflects genuine sentiments of the alleged victim.