Nigel in court for killing Nigel

THEY both went missing two weeks ago, but Nigel Allen was buried yesterday, while his “friend” Nigel “Cat” Roderique and another man appeared before a magistrate charged with his murder. Allen, 32, of Cocoyea Village, was found in a shallow grave in a Claxton Bay cane field last Monday. Yesterday, Roderique, 30, and Wendell Simmons, 24, both of Claxton Bay, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington in the San Fernando First Police Court charged with Allen’s killing. Roderique, 30, a watchman, and his neighbour, Simmons, a fabricator, were arrested several days ago and as a result of directions given by the Director of Public Prosecutions, charges were laid by PC Wazir Ali on Thursday.

The charge stemmed from the disappearance of mechanic Allen, 32, who left his home at Simpson Brown Terrace, Cocoyea Village, San Fernando, on December 7, but never returned. On Monday, Allen’s body was found by police in a shallow grave at Diamond Village, Claxton Bay. Roderique was reported missing on December 7, but he was found bound and gagged at the side of the road at Ibis Gardens, Caroni, on December 16.

Yesterday, Wellington read the charge to both Roderique and Simmons — “On a date unknown between Tuesday December 6 and Monday December 19, you, together with another person, did murder Nigel Allen.” The accused men were not called on to plead as the charge was laid indictably. Wellington remanded Roderique and Simmons into custody and transferred the case to the Couva Magistrates’ Court on December 30.  Roderique and Simmons were not represented by an attorney. Roderique’s common-law-wife, Denise Phillip, sat quietly in the courtroom during her husband’s appearance. However, Simmons’ relatives broke down in tears outside the court house, and a female relative threw herself on the ground and cried hysterically.