Vendor...for wife’s murder

Harilal, 34, appeared before Magistrate Indrani Cedeno, in the Princes Town First Magistrate’s Court, charged with killing Bridgemohan by slitting her throat. Bridgemohan, 57, died at her Gunness Trace, Barrackpore home after being attacked on Sunday at around 6 pm.
Harilal, a market vendor who sold water melons, was arrested minutes after. On Tuesday, acting Cpl Wazir Ali, of the Homicide Bureau, charged Harilal with the murder.
During his court appearance yesterday, Cedeno read three other charges against Harilal. Dressed in a red jersey and blue jeans, Harilal stood before Cedeno and bowed his head and kept his hands clasped behind his back.
As she read the charges, Cedeno ordered: “Look at me, I’m reading the charge.” Harilal immediately raised his head. He was not called upon to make a plea on the indictable charges.
Harilal told the magistrate that he did not want an attorney to represent him in the case. Cedeno advised Harilal that he could not represent himself and asked whether he could afford to retain an attorney or if he wanted to make an application for one from the Legal Aid and Advisory Authority.
Harilal eventually told the magistrate that he wanted a Legal Aid attorney.
Cedeno remanded Harilal into custody and adjourned the case to April 7.
The magistrate instructed police prosecutor Sgt Zamsheed Mohammed to have Harilal visit the clerk of the peace to make the necessary application.
As the hearing came to an end, Bridgemohan’s family and friends assembled at her home for the funeral service.
Her 16-year-old daughter Donna cried uncontrollably as the grey and white marble coffin with her body was taken out of the hearse.
Her son Deoraj, 34, sobbed over her: “Mom, I love you. You not suppose to be in that coffin today...I know you had to go one day, but not like this.” Bridgemohan was buried at the Rochard Douglas Road cemetery.