With pain etched on his face grieving father Eric Knights begged acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams for help to find his son Michael, who has been missing since August. The Gasparillo father, clutching a flyer with a photo of his missing son on Tuesday night, pleaded with Williams as he addressed a police town meeting at Gasparillo Secondary School, Bonne Aventure.
Michael, 25, of Third Street, San Fabien Road, Springland, Gasparillo was last seen on August 5 at the Marabella Secondary School where he works as a stores attendant with National Maintenance Training and Security Company Ltd (MTS). Knights told the Police Commissioner, together with the top brass in the Southern Division such as ACP Donald Denoon and Senior Supt Cecil Santana, he had been searching for his son for three months.
He said he made a report at the Marabella police station and also in Port-of-Spain because he was not satisfied with the response by police in the Southern Division. “I am not saying they not doing anything, but tomorrow will be three months since my son missing and I am pleading for your help, I am asking you, Mr Commissioner, to help me find my son. It is three months since I have not seen my son. I am pleading that they pay special attention to my son,” Knights said.
The grieving father struggled for words as he declared that he had done everything he could do to help the police. He put forward an example to Williams that if Knights were missing and Williams had his bank card, “Ent something wrong? If you calling my cellphone and it switch off...That’s all I have to say.” Knights then walked out of the auditorium with his hand covering his face. He returned shortly after as Williams was responding to his plea.
The commissioner said he did not have any information on Michael’s disappearance, but assured he would follow up on the investigation. He said in missing-person cases the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and the Homicide Investigation Unit would be engaged to help support the efforts of the police station in the investigation. Williams said he felt Knights’ pain as a father whose son has been missing for months without clear word.
“It is really about finding a way to locating him, with the help of the police and the community. I will get some feedback. We will see how best we can assist,” Williams told him. Santana said Knights was being updated on the investigation into his son’s disappearance by inspector in charge of crime Don Gajadhar. He also revealed that a suspect had been held and interrogated, but “no evidence was unearthed in respect of prosecution.
“The investigation into your son’s disappearance is continuing feverishly. I want to assure you that every effort will be made to find your son and take whatever action is necessary in prosecuting,” Santana said. Tabaquite MP Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, who addressed the meeting, said he was disappointed that it was poorly attended. Rows of chairs stood vacant and at one point there were more police officers than members of the public. He also lamented that it was poorly advertised.
While some members of the public complained about the tardy response from police at the Gasparillo station, others commended the officers for keeping the community safe. Among the concerns raised were poor traffic management and the failure to address complaints about noise pollution from bars.
