A 25-year-old Municipal Police Officer is expected to appear before a High Court Master today, Wednesday 24th April 2024, after he was charged with Murder.

According to the TTPS, JOSIAH DIAZ, 25, of Mt Pleasant Road, Arima, was arrested by officers attached to the Homicide Bureau of Investigations (HBI), Region One Office after they conducted and concluded extensive investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of RONALDO CEDENO, a 32- year-old man of Acono Road, Maracas, St Joseph.

On Monday 22nd April 2024, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Roger Gaspard SC, advised that the accused be charged for the offence of Murder. Charges were subsequently laid by WPC Morgan-Job, who is attached to the HBI, Region One Office.

According to police reports, around 5:57 pm on Friday 22nd March 2024, a Municipal Police Officer was driving a marked police vehicle at South Quay in the vicinity of the Old Agostini Building, Port of Spain, when a man allegedly threw a stone at the said vehicle causing breakage to the front right door window. The officer then allegedly pulled out his service-issued firearm and fired one shot in the direction of the assailant, hitting him in the upper body.

The officer then allegedly conveyed the assailant to the Port of Spain General Hospital for medical attention where he was treated and pronounced dead at 6:30 pm. The investigation was supervised by W/Ag ASP Bridglal, Inspectors John and Mongroo and Ag Insp Ramsumair, of the HBI, Region One. The murder toll now stands at 176 for the year 2024 with the comparative figures of 180 for 2023 and 165 for 2022.