Two in court on murder charge

TWO men appeared before a San Fernando magistrate yesterday charged with murder of a 28-year-old man and causing grievous bodily harm to two policemen, who were injured during a shootout, while pursuing a group of men who had abducted the murdered man.

Marlon Peters, 27, of Freeport and Ian Little, 23, of South Oropouche appeared before Magistrate Sonia Aleong charged with the murder of Nigel Singh and causing grievous bodily harm to acting Cpl David Subero and PC Ian Marsh. The three charges were alleged to have been committed on October 13. Singh was forcibly taken away from his Rancho Quemado, Palo Seco, home on October 13. Later that day, he was found dead near an oil well, with a gunshot wound to his right leg and injuries to the back of his head. An autopsy later revealed he died of shock and haemorrhage consistent with the gunshot wound to the leg, which ruptured a major artery. The two policemen were shot during a high-speed chase and shootout between a group of men, whom the officers had reason to believe, were involved in the abduction of Singh.

Peters’ attorney Keith Beckles told the court yesterday that when his client was arrested and taken to the Marabella Police Station last week Wednesday, he was not allowed his right to have a lawyer present during an ID parade. Beckles also said his client informed him that two witnesses were brought to the cell to see the two accused men, even before the ID parade started. Aleong transferred the matter to the Siparia Magistrates’ Court where the accused men are scheduled to reappear on November 12.