Teen son in court for murder

THE mother of a 14-year-old boy who appeared before a Couva magistrate yesterday charged with killing the 18-year-old brother of his girlfriend, broke down in tears when the case was adjourned and the accused was being led away, saying, “Bring my child back, he did not do anybody anything.” Gainda Boodram wept openly as her son Marlon, 14, sat in the docks and again when he was being led away. Boodram, of Dow Village Settlement Number 1, stood stone-faced before Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan when the charge of murder was read out. Boodram is charged with the stabbing death of Shivanand Sookdeo, whose funeral was held yesterday.

Sookdeo died from a single stab to the chest, which he suffered while allegedly trying to defend his 16-year-old sister, Seema, from a teenager who was beating and kicking her outside their home at Seventh Street, Dow Village, California. The accused, who is being defended by attorneys Selwyn Ramlal and Darrel Giles, was not called on to plead. The prosecutor is Sgt Moonan Deokie. Ramlal made a submission for the case to begin at the court’s earliest convenience, and without delays by the prosecution. “We are hoping this is just a small derailment in his education... so his life can get back on track very soon,” Ramlal told the court.

The attorney requested from the prosecution disclosure of any oral and written statements made by the accused as well as post-mortem reports, station diary extracts and “any other material that may be of assistance to the defence.” Ramlal also called on the prosecution to reveal the criminal record of the deceased, saying there were many adverse reports on the character of the accused. Sgt Deokie said he knew of two pending matters the deceased had before the court. As the magistrate remanded the 14-year-old murder accused in custody until August 27, he requested that the teenager be taken to a secure area in the Youth Training Centre (YTC). As Boodram was being led out of court, his mother started crying loudly and had to be supported by relatives.