‘Beam’ back behind bars

GARVIN SOOKRAM, also known as “Beam,” appeared in court yesterday charged with two murders — just five weeks after he and four others were freed in the High Court of murder. Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court, interrupted the hearing of another murder inquiry for Sookram’s latest case to be called for the first time. Mc Nicolls then read the two charges to the accused. It is alleged that Sookram and another person, on July 28, at Granado Street, Sawmill Avenue in Barataria, murdered Kerwin Cyrus and Kerwin Hinds. Mc Nicolls told the accused that both charges were laid indictably and Sookram was not called upon to plead. Neither the State nor the accused was represented at the brief hearing. Sookram, 29, who was shot in his right shoulder during the July 28 incident, showed no signs of discomfort during his court appearance.

A number of Sookram’s relatives were present in court. No evidence was taken and the matter was adjourned to August 9. Sookram was then remanded in custody and taken to the Port-of-Spain State Prison, where he was placed in a special cell normally kept for high risk prisoners. The charges were laid by Sgt Ancil Coa of the Barataria CID. Sookram, Ronald “Doom” Gaskin, Junior “Country” Sookram, Garvin Hassan Sanchez, and John Wayne Alleyne, were freed by Justice Rajendra Narine in the Port-of-Spain Criminal Court on June 26 this year. Their freedom came after special prosecutor Rangee Dolsingh SC said he could not proceed any further with the prosecution based on the evidence of one of the key witnesses. The five were charged with the murder of Roger “One Arm” Alexander at Barataria in 2000.

The five men walked away from the Hall of Justice, but two days later, unknown gunmen stormed a house at Sawmill Avenue and opened fire. When the shooting stopped, Ronald Gaskin and Junior Sookram were dead. Garvin Sookram escaped from the gunmen. On July 28, there was a another shooting incident, this time at Granado Street, Sawmill Avenue. When the police responded, they found Kerwin Cyrus’ body in a track, while Kerwin Hinds was dead in the front passenger seat of a car. Cyrus, 20, lived at Couva, while 35-year-old Hinds hailed from Diego Martin. Garvin Sookram was shot in the same incident and was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for treatment on his right shoulder. However, he discharged himself from the hospital the following morning. He was charged last Saturday with both murders.