Man in court for Penal grandad’s murder

THE MAN accused of murdering Penal grandfather, Sylvan Lochan, and two other men who allegedly stole items from Lochan’s home at the time of his killing, all appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesterday.  Murder accused Micayeel Mohammed, 28, appeared in the First Court before acting Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington. Mohammed, a labourer, is accused of murdering 58-year-old Lochan between August 9 and 10 at Mohess Road, Penal. Mohammed did not have an attorney to represent him when Wellington read the indictable charge to him. He was not called on to plead, and was remanded into custody until August 27. The case was called shortly after 1 pm, and Lochan’s wife Girlin and daughter Susan, as well as relatives of the accused turned up in court since 9 am to see the man accused of murdering Lochan.

They then walked over to the Fourth Court where Ricardo Maharaj, 21, aka “Red Rat” and Ashton Singh, 19, appeared before Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan.  Maharaj, a mason, and Singh, a carpenter, are jointly accused of unlawfully breaking into Lochan’s home at Mohess Road between July 21 and August 11, stealing $6,270 worth of jewelry, a $7,000 stereo, and a bank card. They both pleaded not guilty. Maharaj is also separately charged with stealing a 20-inch television worth $2,000 and a $10,000 laptop during the same period. He also pleaded not guilty to the two charges. Maharaj was granted $60,000 bail. The cases were postponed to Monday. Mohammed and Maharaj are both of Mohess Road, while Singh is from Panoo Trace, which branches off Mohess Road. Lochan was found dead in his home a few hours after he contacted police to report a break-in at his home.