Cop in court on murder charge

SEVERAL family members of a police officer yesterday waited for hours at the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court before he finally appeared before a magistrate charged with the first murder of 2004. Garth Mejias, 37, of First Street, Caledonia, Morvant, appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls charged with the January 1 murder of 27-year-old Atiba Johnson of Macoya Road in  Tunapuna. Johnson’s body was found in a black garbage bag at the bottom of a hill on Saddle Road, Maraval by TTEC workers.

Mejias, who is attached to the Tobago Division of the Police Service, was arrested at Piarco International Airport on Friday by Insp Johnny Abraham of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations. He was subsequently charged by Sgt Lennox Edwards of the Maraval Police Station. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a second man in connection with the murder. Mejias was represented by attorney Gillian Lucky, who was holding for attorney Ricky Rahim. Deputy DPP Carla Brown-Antoine held for police prosecutor acting Insp Kenneth Cordner. The matter was adjourned to tomorrow and transferred to the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court.