Teen in court for retired teacher’s murder

A CURIOUS crowd gathered outside the Siparia Magistrates court yesterday morning to glimpse an 18-year-old youth who appeared in court charged with the murder of a retired teacher, found battered to death at her home last week Thursday.

As Tabeel Lewis, 18, arrived at the courthouse, a buzz went up among the onlookers as news spread that he was the one charged with the murder of retiree Daya Ramsook, 62, who was found under a pile of clothes in the washroom of her Alta Garcia Trace, Siparia home. Lewis of Lily Trace, Siparia appeared before Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan to answer the indictable charge. According to the charge, Lewis is accused of killing Ramsook sometime between November 5 and 6. An autopsy report showed the woman died of blunt cranio trauma (beating to the head). Lewis appeared before Magistrate Cardenas-Ragoonanan dressed in long-sleeved white shirt, green pants and a pair of slippers. He remained calm throughout the hearing and seemed oblivious to the stares of dozens of curious persons who gathered outside the courthouse.

Defence attorney Ian Gray requested that his client’s matter be dealt with expeditiously. However, the prosecution did not have the disclosure files at yesterday’s hearing, prompting Gray to call for urgency in the handling of the case. Some of Ramsook’s relatives sat silently in court, watching Lewis intently. Court prosecutor Sgt Cooper told Lewis’ attorney to apply to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) office to have a  copy of the disclosure files. Lewis was arrested on Friday - a day after Ramsook’s body was found. The murder charge was laid over the weekend by detective Cpl Inniss Minors. The matter was subsequently adjourned to November 21. As Lewis was being led back to the nearby police station people lined the pavement to see him while others hurriedly ran out of stores to catch a glimpse of the youthful murder accused.