Escapee in court on murder charge

Recaptured prisoner Halim Ballack appeared before a Point Fortin magistrate October 17 on charges ranging from murder to kidnapping and robbery with violence. Ballack, 29, of Palo Seco, appeared before Magistrate Indrani Cedeno one week after his escape from cells at the Point Fortin Police Station.

He and fellow prisoner Malcolm Fraser escaped on October 13. After seven days of searches by South Western Division police officers, he was recaptured on Sunday October 16 in a house at Beach Road, Palo Seco, a few meters way from his home. He is scheduled to reappear in court on October 31.

The charges against him are that on October 13 at the Point Fortin Police Station he escaped lawful custody; on September 25 at Reservoir Hill, Point Fortin, he murdered Wayne Carrington; and on September 25, at Hercules Drive, Egypt Village, Point Fortin, he robbed Elizabeth Sunny of a gold chain and pendant, valued at $1,400. Ballack is also accused of taking John Jackson against his will, obbing him of his cellphone, valued at $198, $28 in cash and used personal violence against him. Decked in a burgundy T-shirt and grey denim pants, Ballack gazed nonchalantly around the courtroom as the charges were read to him.

He stood silently for most of the proceedings but when he was leaving uttered a few words to a lone relative in the courtroom.

“Most wanted” Guyanese to be deported

Shameer Ally Allie

One of Canada’s “Most Wanted” criminals, who was convicted twice of beating women, has been deemed a threat to public security and denied release from custody by an immigration hearing.

Shameer Ally Allie, 36, of Guyana, was picked up Thursday September 15 by the RCMP. He had been on the run since January to avoid deportation stemming from a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions for assault causing bodily harm, threatening death, assault with a weapon and twice failing to report to authorities.

He is slated to be deported on Wednesday by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, Allie wore leg and stomach restraints at an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing on Monday September 19.

The father of two was convicted in 2003 for attacking a common-law wife with a baseball bat, the hearing was told. He received a suspended sentence and was placed on probation for two years.

Allie also attacked another woman, whom he was seeing, with a “large kitchen knife” after he accused her of dressing provocatively, Stephanie Echlin, a counsel for the immigration department said.

The woman was threatened with death several times and escaped after the building’s landlord heard a struggle and ran to her aid.

“Both of those assaulted were women with whom he had a close relationship with,” Echlin said. “He (Allie) is a violent offender who has shown no sign of remorse or rehabilitation.”

The board was told Allie was released from custody by an immigration official last year “after he requested to spend the Christmas holidays with his family.” He promptly went underground and was arrested last week while walking to an illegal job. He does not have a permit to work here.

Immigration board member Marilou Funston said Allie may not return if released from custody because he twice failed to comply with court orders.

Allie told the board his life would be in danger if he returned to Guyana. He is the sixth person arrested from a list of 32 of Canada’s “Most Wanted” criminals who were identified by the CBSA.

The fugitives are among a group of 1,400 dangerous criminals without immigration status who are believed to be hiding in Canada.

The lineup of foreign criminals was released following the success of a first list of 30 suspected war criminals who were identified by the CBSA. So far, 11 suspects have been arrested and one has left country. Five have been deported.

Cops, bandits in highway shootout

Motorists proceeding along the east and west-bound lanes of the Beetham Highway were forced to stop their vehicles and pull aside to safety as Cpl Thompson and PC Gomez of the Besson Street CID traded bullets with two bandits on the highway.

Police, on Monday September 19, launched a manhunt for the two bandits.

The incident, police said, caused a massive traffic pile-up as scores of police vehicles later raced into the area in search of the two armed bandits who managed to escape in the mangrove.

Around 11 a.m., police said, Richard Thomas and Elijah Daly, two employees of a solid waste company, were at the Beetham landfill when they were approached by two armed men who robbed them of cash and jewelry totalling $6,620.

The men made their way to the Besson Street CID where a report was made to detectives and then later accompanied Cpl Thompson and PC Gomez to the scene.

They immediately pointed out the two suspects who were in the vicinity of Hell Yard.

Police said they called on the suspects to surrender but the men ran across the highway and began shooting at the officers who had decided to pursue them on foot.

Officers reported they were forced to stop at the centre of the highway and engage the suspects in a shootout.

Police radioed for backup and a contingent of officers led by Insp Sahadeo Singh quickly arrived at the scene and went in search of the suspects but they could not be found. Police said one of the suspects is known to them and that an arrest was imminent.

Some comments on this incident made by citizens were:

“These criminals have no kind of respect for authority and also no regard for human life firing shots while innocent drivers passing by. The TTPS has really stepped to the plate after the SoE was declared by the PM and their efforts are duly noted by members of the public.”

“TTPS response time to crime sincethe SoE has been really amazing. The SoE should have been declared a long time ago. Just to note if those road saying they were good boys." guys were shot by police some people would have been blocking the