(Trinidadian Guardian)- CCTV footage shows Heather Barriteau who was reported missing for four days by her husband Devon Paul, was seen liming and drinking at Carat Shed Bar, Marabella, with a male companion on Sunday, one of the days she was allegedly kidnapped.
On Monday, CID police reviewed footage from the bar and it showed Barriteau accompanied by a gentleman at 1.30 pm.
“That lady spent approximately five hours at my bar in the company of a gentleman. At one time she left and came back after 20 minutes, joined him at the table and eventually left at 6.28 pm, said Carat Shed owner, Allen Campbell.
He said she appeared to be very comfortable and stated if she had been abducted she had ample time to make this known.
“The man (Paul) broke down and cried when he saw the footage. Police need to seriously investigate this and if anyone is culpable of wasting police time or making public mischief they should be brought before a magistrate,” Campbell said.
Campbell has come out in defense of his community, saying that her allegations are further putting a stain on Marabella and his operation.
“She is giving my business a bad name. Although Marabella already has a bad name she is blackening it further with allegations she was kidnapped by three men and brought to Marabella and assaulted.
“She is giving the police a bad name. In these serious times when women are being abducted and kidnapped, you cannot go around trivializing disappearance. When you do so, can you blame the police when they do not take missing persons reports seriously. If she had a falling out with she man and left home, she should not make up such lies.”
Paul made a missing persons report to the Southern Division Police on Saturday. He said Barriteau , 35, disappeared after leaving their Sobo Village, La Brea home last Friday to do some shopping in San Fernando. She was last seen drinking at the Edge Bar on Mucurapo Street, San Fernando, with a male companion later that afternoon.
She was supposed to meet a friend but failed to show up. Calls to her phone later went unanswered.
On Monday, San Fernando police said, Barriteau walked into the station to clarify she was not missing as reported on social media.
She also checked into the Accident and Emergency Department at the San Fernando General Hospital and reported to staff on duty that she had been abducted by three men. She also claimed she was dropped off at a parang session held at Carat Shed Bar, which is located almost opposite the Marabella Police Station.
The police were later contacted and went to Carat Shed to review their CCTV footage.
An outraged Campbell said his parang session took place in the night from 9 o’clock.
He said he did not know if Barriteau, whom he said is not a regular, if she returned that night for the parang.
He said Paul was also brought to his business to view the footage and positively identified the woman in the video as Barriteau.
Police also said they cannot charge Barriteau as she never made a missing report. They said only if the husband knew she was not missing and made a false report they could charge him.
