Murder accused to face magistrate today

A 31-year-old man is to appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate today charged with Monday’s murder of Maurice Phillip and the attempted murder of Brenda De Silva. Samuel Roberts, labourer, of no fixed place of abode, was charged yesterday with murder, attempted murder, possession of a .38 pistol with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. The four charges were laid indictably by Cpl Francis Rivas of the West End CID following consultation with ACP Crime Oswyn  Allard and acting Director of Public Prosecutions Carla Brown-Antoine.

Phillip, 30, was reportedly shot four times while De Silva, 29, was shot three times at their Petit Valley home. They were both warded in critical condition at the Port-of Spain General Hospital where Phillip subsequently died. When the man was being led into the Court, an officer attached to the Court exclaimed, “I sympathise with you boy.” Roberts, escorted by Rivas and officers of the Port-of-Spain CID, appeared before a Justice of the Peace last evening who recorded a statement from the man and remanded him in custody until he appears in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Eighth Court.