11 in court for murder

ELEVEN MEN were taken to court yesterday for the murder of businesswoman, Samdaye Rampersad. But only nine appeared before the magistrate while the other two were taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital after complaining that they were beaten while in police custody. Rampersad was snatched by unmasked men outside her parlour in Petit Bourg, San Juan, on November 26, and a ransom was demanded. She was never released. Her decomposed body was dug up from a shallow grave last Thursday at Springvale, Claxton Bay. Eleven suspects were arrested and charged by police on Monday night.

Yesterday, an Amalgamated Prison van brought the 11 accused persons to the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court at 10.10 am. No sooner had the accused men been placed in the holding bay of the courthouse, two of them complained that they were suffering from injuries sustained from a beating by the police. Pernell Martin, of Gobinson Trace, Tunapuna Road, Tunapuna, and Subash Harryram, of Pranz Gardens, Claxton Bay, were taken by the police to the hospital where they were examined. The other nine appeared before Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court where the charge was read to them. It was alleged that on a day unknown between November 25 last year and January 6, at Carolina Village, Couva, they murdered Samdaye Rampersad.

The other accused were listed as Phillip Boodram of Fifth Street, New Settlement, Dow Village, California; Kervin Williams of Southern Main Road, Pranz Gardens, Claxton Bay; Vivian Clarke of  Production Drive, Sea Lots; Marlon Aaron Grappie of Pranz Gardens; Steve Mc Gillvery, of  Pioneer Drive, Sea Lots; Ricky Singh of Cedar Hill Road, Claxton Bay; Christopher Jones of Southern Main Road, Claxton Bay; Roger Mootoo of Springvale Village, Claxton Bay; and Bobby Sankar of Bacchus Street, Claxton Bay. Several attorneys appeared for the accused — Prakash Ramadhar, Jagdeo Singh, Brian Dabideen, and Keith Beckles. Ramadhar made an application for details of the character/antecedents of the witness (es) for the prosecution in this case. He said allegations previously made by such persons against persons in society had turned out to be false.

Ramadhar said the State was planning to prosecute persons based on the allegations of a witness who was recently charged with the murder of a man whose body was found in a shallow grave in Claxton Bay. According to the defence attorney, this was a serious indictment against the administration of justice. He asked that the State expedite this case as it affects a number of families who had packed the courtroom, and many more who were waiting outside for word. Keith Beckles said his client had been in custody since Thursday. He said his client was repeatedly interrogated by the police and promised a new identity if he turned State witness. He also said that because his client refused the offer, he was threatened to be charged with murder.

He said his client was taken to five police stations, the first being Freeport. “It was only after I wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Police that my client was charged. Last night, he was again offered the opportunity to be a State witness and he was told what he had to say. I intend to write to the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security about this,” Beckles promised. Ramadhar said he wants an investigation to be launched into the matter. He said that two of the accused were taken to the hospital after they complained about injuries they suffered at the hands of the police. No State attorney was in court for this first hearing. Lee Kim then remanded the accused into custody and transferred the case to the Couva District Court tomorrow.