3 soldiers in court for murder

Nine persons have now been charged with Maharaj’s murder.

It was a usual Monday morning at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court. The only difference was that three soldiers were appearing on a murder charge. Police officers of the Court and Process Branch stood anxiously at the prisoners’ entrance to await the arrival of the murder accused.

At 9.30 am, sirens blared as an Amalgamated Security prison van approached the courthouse, escorted by heavily-armed members of the Police Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB).

Traffic was temporarily stopped from proceeding south along St Vincent Street as the six accused were removed from the prison van and taken to the holding bay inside the courthouse.

Twenty minutes later, the six accused appeared before Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court.

The court was packed with relatives of the accused. Even Senior Supt Maurice Piggott, head of the Homicide Bureau, was in attendance along with three American officials, two of whom were identified as FBI officials.

The six accused are Corporal Ricardo De Four of Camp Ogden; Private Patrick Stevenson and Sgt Leon Nurse, of Teteron Barracks, Kevin Nixon, Kenneth and Wayne Pierre, of Grand Curacaye, Lower Santa Cruz.

They were charged with the murder of Balram Maharaj during the period April 5, 2005, and January 9 this year, in Santa Cruz.

Maharaj, 62, was kidnapped from outside the Samaan Tree Bar in Aranjuez on April 6 last year. His mutilated remains were dug up from a shallow grave at Grand Curacaye on January 9.

Three other persons were previously charged with Maharaj’s murder. They are Maharaj’s former common-law wife Doreen Alexander-Durity, 40, of Nelson Street, Arima; Anderson Straker, 28, of Pierreville, Mayaro, and Zion Clarke, 27, of Grand Curacaye.

After the charge was read yesterday, attorney Keith Scotland, who is representing De Four, said his client gave a statement to the police over the weekend. He said while his client was in custody, a promise was made by the police. Scotland said his client was tricked by the police and he informed the Justice of the Peace who endorsed it on the document.

Scotland also complained that De Four’s relatives were at the police station over the weekend when the statement was made, but they were never informed that the statement was being recorded. He said this issue will be a matter for the Police Complaints Authority.

Theodore Guerra SC, who represents Nurse and Stevenson, said no written statements were given to the police by his clients. However, he asked for disclosure of the statement given by Scotland’s client.

When the magistrate asked who was prosecuting, Police prosecutor Insp Kenneth Cordner said he expected an attorney from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to be assigned to the case. He said based on instructions from the complainant Cpl Wendell Lucas, no written or oral statements were given. He said interview notes were taken and would be forwarded to the defence.

Guerra also pointed out that another client, Anderson Straker, was taken to hospital for treatment for suspected tuberculosis. He said the Port-of-Spain General Hospital did not have facilities for testing such patients. He said Straker was taken to the Caura Chest Hospital on Sunday and returned to the prison.

Guerra insisted that he receive all documents, as the case had been bandied about in the media. Attorney Evans Welch appeared for Wayne Pierre.

Lee Kim then transferred the case to Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls for February 6.