Man appears in court for baby’s murder

SLIM-BUILT handyman Christna Basdeo, 46, appeared before a Princes Town magistrate yesterday morning charged with the murder of his 16-month-old son Kyle Basdeo, and the attempted murder of his wife Toy Basdeo.

Basdeo appeared before Magistrate Siumongal Ramsaran to answer the charges which were laid by detective Sgt Stephen Maynard of the Princes Town CID. Basdeo is accused of chopping baby Kyle once in the head, causing instant death, while he (Kyle) was sleeping on his mother’s bosom at their Ganga Trace, Manahambre, Princes Town home on November 11. Basdeo is also charged with attempting to murder his wife Toy, by chopping her multiple times about her body. Both charges were laid indictably. Cpl Zamsheed Mohammed was the prosecutor yesterday when the case was called.

Ramsaran noted that attempted murder was a bailable offence, but cancelled out the possibility of bail being granted for the accused, citing the medical condition of victim Toy Basdeo. “You would be remanded in custody. Because of the condition of the alleged victim, you cannot be granted any bail,” the magistrate said. During proceedings, Basdeo stood in the courtroom silently, holding only a small piece of white paper in his hands. On several occasions, he looked at persons seated on the public benches in the courtroom. Two of his neighbours were present, but neither Basdeo’s relatives nor his wife’s relatives, were present.  The case was adjourned to November 24.