Chaguanas murder accused claims police beating

The attorney representing a 20-year-old man who appeared before a Chaguanas magistrate yesterday charged with the murder of 19-year-old Mark Boodoo, claimed in court that his client was brutalised by three officers while in custody at Chaguanas Police Station. Attorney Victor Hosein told Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John  his client, Damien Matthew George, was beaten by the officers, two of whom were named in court by Hosein. However, court prosecutor Insp Ashton Clarke quickly rose to the State’s defence denying that George was beaten by any officer.

George, of Goodwill Street in Enterprise, Chaguanas, raised his handcuffed hands and hid his face from photographers both on his way to and from court. George was charged with murdering Boodoo last Monday; possession of a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver and possession of five rounds of .38 ammunition. Although the arms and ammunition charges are bailable offences, George was denied bail and subsequently remanded in custody on the primary charge of murder. He was also not called upon to enter a plea on the charges. The matter was adjourned to May 10.

It was reported that around 7.20 pm on Monday, Boodoo, of Chaguanas, was standing under the Chaguanas Flyover with a 17-year-old girl and another man, when he was fatally shot in the chest. An autopsy confirmed that Boodoo died as a result of shock and haemorrhage consistent with a single gunshot wound.