$50,000 bail for 16-year-old boy

The mother of a 16-year-old boy, charged with manslaughter of his friend, wept uncontrollably when the teen appeared in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Riaz Mohammed, student, of Rosewood Avenue, Coconut Drive, Morvant, was arrested after he allegedly shot Gideon George on Monday morning. George, 16, of Never Dirty, Morvant, was reportedly shot by accident in the stomach while the two teens were in possession of a homemade shotgun at Mohammed’s home. The manslaughter charge was laid indictably by PC Patrick Thomas following consultation with Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Carla Browne-Antoine. Mohammed’s mother wept as she and his father were instructed to stand by his side in the prisoners’ dock. The emotional woman had to be cautioned by a police officer when she began fidgeting and wiping her eyes with a towel while before the magistrate.

Defence Attorney Patrick Godson-Phillips made an application for bail before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Melvin Daniel. “When I was young, it was a treat for my mother to go into Scarborough and return with a ‘cap gun’ for me to play with. Over the years, a gun has become a novelty for young men and just as young ladies play with dolls, boys are taught to play with guns. This novelty has come to haunt us,” declared Godson-Phillips. The attorney then informed the magistrate that his client had one previous matter before the Court and was currently serving a bond for the offence. He asked for bail to be set considering the fact that the boy will be entering a senior comprehensive school in September. Magistrate Daniel stood down the matter to 1.15 pm saying that he needed time to think about the circumstances. When the matter was called, Ag Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington presided.

Godson-Phillips told Wellington that due to the fact that the previous matter was of a different nature, the bond could not be considered when setting bail. Wellington exclaimed, “Whilst on a bond, you get arrested for manslaughter and you are telling me that the Court cannot consider the bond!” After brief deliberation, Godson-Phillips asked for the boy to be placed in the care of his parents. “That cannot be a serious argument Mr Phillips, 16 now is not the 16 of your or my time. I will fix bail but that application cannot be considered,” said Wellington. The teen was granted bail in the sum of $50,000 and the matter was adjourned to September 2.