Man faces 20 charges

A MAN who has been under investigation for the past week for a series of crimes against several young women in South Trinidad has been charged with more then 20 offences. The 23-year-old suspect is expected to appear before a San Fernando magistrate today to answer charges of manslaughter and others including  kidnapping, robbery and larceny. The charges arose out of criminal assaults against women from November 2004 to June 2005. One of his victims, Mary Baldeo-Waheed died a few days after she jumped from a car in a bid to escape her kidnapper.

Police detectives brought an end to the reign of terror when they arrested the suspect at about 1 am on July 5, at his mother’s home at Rancho Quemado. Police sources said the suspect had been hiding out at a house two weeks prior to his arrest. The man, who lived at Diamond Village, San Fernando, reportedly used stolen cars, to search for potential victims. His victims were tricked into believing that he was a PH driver, police said.

Following his arrest last Tuesday, the man was detained at the San Fernando CID and placed on several identification parades. The suspect also gave several written statements to the police. Newsday understands that up to late yesterday investigators were still preferring charges against the suspect. Snr Supt Nadir Mohammed, Head of the Southern Police Division is spearheading investigations.