Man in court for beating wife

Speaking on behalf of the accused John Ram, attorney Daril Giles told Senior Magistrate Marcia Ayers Caesar that the accused had received death threats.

Ram appeared before Magistrate Ayres-Caesar, charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Rita Samaroo, 20. The charge stemmed from an incident on August 17, at the couple’s home at Post Office Street in which Samaroo was injured.

Ram, who was charged on Sunday, was not called on to plead because the charge had been laid indictably.

Giles told the magistrate that the accused claimed he was innocent. The attorney told the magistrate that his instructions were that on the day of the alleged incident, Ram noticed bruises on Samaroo’s body when she returned home.

Ayres-Caesar advised the defence attorney that Ram’s observation was evidence in the case, which would form part of Ram’s defence.

Court prosecutor acting Sgt Corbett objected to bail on the grounds that Samaroo was still hospitalised.

The police prosecutor also requested that a trace be conducted to determine if Ram had previous convictions or pending matters.

The attorney told the magistrate that Ram had a previous conviction for cocaine possession, and Corbett told the magistrate that Ram had another conviction for marijuana possession. Before denying Ram bail, Ayres-Caesar ordered the prosecution to provide the court with a medical report on Samaroo’s condition on the next occasion the case is called. The case was adjourned to August 28.