Marcus Wharwood was beaten to death in Remand

THE EDITOR: Hello and good day. My name is Maria Wharwood, and I am a relative of the deceased Marcus Wharwood. My concerns are for the truth and the circumstances surrounding his death to be known and those responsible, brought to justice. In the year 2004, Marcus Wharwood was charged and taken to the Golden Grove Remand Yard Prison, where he would stay until the outcome of his matter. But due to various circumstances, he never returned to court for his second court hearing. It was later mentioned that he died at the General Hospital Port-of-Spain, due to various complications of the HIV virus.

When this was mentioned to the family of Marcus Wharwood, I became very disturbed and began to do my own investigations into his death, because a person taken into custody doesn’t die two weeks later with complications of HIV, especially when he never showed any signs before going into custody. My investigations lasted several months and I communicated with various prison officials and prisoners. All the people I have spoken with, even the prison officers, said that Marcus was beaten and left to die in his cell.

A prisoner by the name of Rasheed Karim was said to be the person who tried to save Marcus from the beating. At the time, this prisoner was the one who assisted the officers at the reception of other prisoners at the Remand Yard. This prisoner is now convicted and is serving a sentence at the Maximum Security Prison. To whoever receives and reads this letter, I beg you to help bring justice to this matter in the interest of the family and citizens of this Republic, for we all have children and families who could end up in a similar situation. For the sake of God, I beg you as a poor humble soul to take the necessary action.

MARIA WHARWOOD
Mayaro