Murder accused remanded to St Ann’s

STACY MOORE

Taken to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court charged with murder, 22-year-old Darran Jamal Samuel screamed hysterically in the prisoners’ dock and could not be taken before senior magistrate Cheryl-Ann Antoine.

Samuel, of Marabella, is charged with last Friday’s murder of Anderson Babwah, also of Marabella, at New Haven Avenue, Marabella. Babwah, 24, reportedly got into an argument over food and was stabbed in the chest.

Samuel’s attorney Varsha Soogrim told the court she tried to speak with Samuel but was unsuccessful as he was screaming. While the magistrate heard other matters, the screams rang throughout the courthouse.

“Clearly this man is not fit to come to court and seems to be unstable mentally,” Antoine said.

Minutes later, Samuel was escorted out of the courthouse by police.

His relatives were in the courtroom and Antoine asked them to come forward. One relative told her Samuel had been acting “strangely” in the past few weeks.

He told the magistrate Samuel was admitted to the psychiatric ward of the San Fernando General Hospital but escaped, broke a window at the family’s home and entered the house.

She ordered that Samuel be sent to St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital for treatment and observation.

The case was adjourned to December 20.