No bail for Neisha kidnap accused
FOUR men charged with kidnapping schoolgirl Neisha Seeteram were again remanded in custody when they appeared in the Couva Magistrates’ Court yesterday. In doing so, senior Magistrate Marcia Ayers Caesar ordered that one of the men be medically examined for wounds which his attorney alleged were inflicted by police officers when they arrested him. The four — Mousa Peters, 17, his brother, Maxwell Bruce, 20, Keron Harris, 26, and Brian Pierre, 30 — were charged Wednesday following their arrest for Seeteram’s kidnapping. The nine-year-old girl was kidnapped from her uncle’s home in Tabaquite, but was released at Forres Park Cemetery around 1 am on Monday. When the four accused appeared yesterday before Assistant Clerk of the Peace Piary Seepersad-Ali, they were remanded in custody to appear yesterday before a magistrate. Peters, Bruce, Harris and Pierre, stood before the magistrate yesterday, who read charges of kidnapping and false imprisonment of Neisha. A charge of robbery with aggravation was read against all four. Attorney Darryl Giles, who represented Peters, Bruce and Pierre, complained to Ayers Caesar that the three men were beaten. He also stated that they were forced to sign documents while they were in police custody. The attorney complained to the magistrate that Peters, who had been medically examined, continues to experience pain in his genitals. He also expressed concerns that Peters may have sustained internal injuries. Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Trevor Paul has expressed his concern over complaints made by two of the four accused in the kidnapping of Neisha Seeteram — that they were beaten by police officers. Enquiries into their complaints of beating are continuing, stated a release from the commissioner’s office. Police prosecutor Cpl Sharon Corbette told the magistrate that the four accused received medical attention on Wednesday after they complained of being beaten by police. Corbette told the magistrate, however, that she found it "funny" that Peters had not complained of pain in the genitals when he appeared on Wednesday before Seepersad-Ali. When Ayers Caesar enquired about the fifth accused man — Sheldon Quashie — who is also charged for the offences, she was told that he remains warded at San Fernando General Hospital with gunshot wounds. Giles requested bail be granted for the accused men. Ayers Caesar agreed with Corbette that tracing had to be done to determine if the accused had any previous conviction or pending cases. Bail was denied and the four were ordered to re-appear on May 10.
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"No bail for Neisha kidnap accused"