Valencia teen charged with cop’s murder

Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Hend-erson yesterday gave directions to the police to charge a 17-year-old Valencia man with the murder of retired prisons welfare officer Goodraj Jaggernath.

Jaggernath, 54, a father of four, was shot dead on August 25 at La Horquetta Trace, off Tumpuna Road. Two men claiming to be police officers but not dressed in police garb broke down the door leading to the bedroom where Jaggernath was asleep. Jaggernath, who tried to arm himself with a cutlass, was shot in the chest and subsequently died. The killers then stole a quantity of jewelry and $30 cash. Then then drove off in Jaggernath’s grey Mitsubishi Lancer. A post-mortem revealed that Jaggernath died from internal haemorrhage consistent with a gunshot wound. A party of officers led by Sgt Johnny Abraham and including Cpl Eric Parks carried out extensive investigations, which led them to the home of a 17-year-old man. He was arrested on Saturday and questioned by the officers. Yesterday, directions were sought from the DPP who reviewed the evidence of the police and gave instructions for a charge of murder to be laid. The man was also charged with four counts of robbery committed in the Eastern Division. The teenager will appear before an Arima magistrate today.