AN investigation by the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment into how 25,753 rounds of 5.56 ammunition went missing from the 1st Engineer Battalion Bunker at the Cumuto Barracks when the rounds were relocated in 2022 will start this morning from 10 a.m.
A three-man team has been appointed to probe how the ammunition was unaccounted for, according to the February 13, 2025 Regiment special orders which have been obtained by the Express.
Emptied: A canister which holds 5.56mm cartridges.
The Sunday Express exclusively reported that 25,573 rounds of 5.56 ammunition, reserved for the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment (TTR), were discovered missing earlier this month during a physical examination at the Cumuto Barracks.
The ammunition was removed from the Cumuto Barracks bunker and relocated to a nearby structure within the Barracks compound sometime in 2022.
According to the February 13 special orders, Colonel Keston Charles, commanding officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, issued the special orders for the regimental enquiry, and the investigating team has been instructed to assemble and begin the probe today.
According to the document, the team comprises president – Lt Col DS Edwards, and members Maj B George and M Brooks.
Underground storage: The location of the Cumuto Barracks bunker where ammunition is stored.
The document sets out the procedure for the probe, stating that evidence is to be taken under oath, solemn affirmation, or by other appropriate means in accordance with the provisions of the Army Act 1956, Rule 13.
It states that if it appears to the board at any time during the enquiry that any person may have committed an offence against military law, including civil offences contrary to Section 78 of the Defence Act, Chapter 14:01 of the Laws of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the president is to adjourn the enquiry and seek legal advice from the Regiment’s legal officer.
The special orders state that seven witnesses have been identified to attend the enquiry, all of them soldiers.
The board has been mandated to give reasons for its findings and to determine what action has been or can be taken to prevent a recurrence.
The investigating board’s president is to submit a report by February 24, 2025.
However, an additional two weeks may be granted if the deadline is not met.
The terms of reference of the investigating board are as follows:
1. The board must thoroughly investigate all circumstances and record all evidence relevant to the enquiry. The board is not to attribute blame, negligence, or prescribe disciplinary action.
2. The board is to investigate, report, and express an opinion where appropriate on the following matters:
a. Where and when was the ammunition discovered missing?
b. Who has access to the bunker?
c. Was the ammunition issued on a TTR Form 49 pad, and when was the information last audited?
d. What steps were taken to recover the missing ammunition?
e. What level of security does the bunker have, and how many people can access it?
f. How many keys are there for the bunker, and what security measures are in place to prevent duplication?
g. Are there sufficient physical security devices to protect the bunker?
The Express reached out to both National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland for comment yesterday, but there was no response.
