FLASHBACK: Acting Commissioner James Philbert,
left, holds his head after viewing the body of
Mario “Chinee” Pedro at Morvant on April 23, 2002.

Mario Pedro was an underworld character who went by the name of Chinee. He moved in circles with well-known gang leaders. He was linked to Dole Chadee and Naresh Boodram. When he was fed up with them, he moved with Aldwyn King and his gang. Chinee was a man who wanted to be known. Whoever was in charge, Chinee rode shotgun. Finally, Chinee got his name on the score sheet, not in a good way, but as a criminal.

His name was called after Colin Abdool was shot dead on June 21, 1992, at Southern Main Road, Savonetta. He was charged jointly with Naresh Boodram, brother of Dole Chadee. Boodram was charged with the murder and went before the courts. But Chinee was elusive. Boodram was freed by then magistrate Anthony Mohipp in the Couva Magistrates’ Court in October 1992, after two of the witnesses refused to testify. One of the witnesses, Deryck King, was later gunned down on Hubert Rance Street, Vistabella.

Boodram was back in court, this time for the murder of Deryck King and Jameer Alladin. But the authorities wanted Chinee because they felt he could supply information about the Chadee and King gangs, which the police felt were responsible for the upsurge in gang violence in the early 1990s. On March 16, 1993, there was high drama at the Ministry of National Security building on Knox Street, Port-of-Spain. Chinee surrendered to the then minister, Russell Huggins, amidst tight security from members of the Regiment.

The T&T Guardian was informed that soldiers went to Chinee’s home at Second Caledonia, Morvant, and took him to the minister’s office. At the time of Chinee’s surrender, police were searching for Aldwyn King for murder and kidnapping. He was eventually cornered in Laventille and killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police.

After the surrender, Chinee spoke to Huggins and three Homicide Bureau officers. He gave a five-page statement in which he admitted he was a gunman. Chinee said, “I beg readers, please do not be misled by words printed previously. I was misconstrued and victimised in both cases. I must now without choice, place my trust and life in the hands of the Minister of National Security.”

‘Life is sacred’

Chinee denied killing anyone. “I will not kill a man, life is sacred. The time has come for peace with my maker and society,” the wanted man added.
After making his statement, Chinee was taken into custody where a warrant was executed on him. He appeared in court the following day, formally charged with Abdool’s murder.

On June 20, 1995, Chinee was found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang by Justice Kester Mc Millan at the San Fernando Assizes. Chinee said it was a case of mistaken identify, but the prosecution’s star witness, Ian King, positively identified Chinee as one of the men who killed Abdool. Chinee appealed, but the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Mustapha Ibrahim, Roger Hamel-Smith and Zainool Hosein dismissed his appeal on July 9, 1997, and affirmed the death sentence. The court found no merit in Chinee’s grounds of appeal.

The appeal went to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, who sent it back to the Court of Appeal to adduce fresh evidence. Ian King told the court he had given false evidence at Chinee’s trial. The court comprising then Chief Justice Michael de la Bastide, Justice Sat Sharma, and Justice Jean Permanand, quashed the conviction and sentence, but ordered no re-trial.

The court, in a 24-page judgment said, “There is no question here of ordering a re-trial, as further prosecution of the appellant could not be justified without the identification evidence of Ian King.” Chinee walked away a free man. By that time, Aldwyn King was dead and Chadee and his gang were on death row for the murders of four members of a Williamsville family. Chinee laid low for some time, although the police felt he was dealing underground. There were reports that Chinee’s life was in danger.

The killing

On April 23, 2002, a gunman ended Chinee’s life. Chinee, 40, a URP foreman, was walking along Second Caledonia Road, around 11 am when a car drove by. Seconds later, the car passed Chinee and a gunman opened fire, striking him five times in the back. A woman, Angela Hoyte, who was also walking along the road, was shot.

Hoyte was taken to hospital, but Chinee died on the spot. One of the senior policemen at the scene was acting Commissioner James Philbert, who was then in charge of the Homicide Bureau. What was the motive? Up to this day, the police cannot say. One theory was that he was killed because of problems at his job. Another theory was that he was killed in a reprisal attack. Nearly seven years later, his murder remains unsolved.