Anita’s murder accused complains about ‘police licks’

UPDATE:

MURDER accused Aaron Garcia had several complaints against the police when he appeared in court yesterday, charged with the murder of 27-year-old mother of four Anita Bahadur. It is alleged that he murdered Bahadur on March 21 at the Croisee in San Juan.

Among his complaints was that he was “brutally beaten” by police who threatened to kill him after his arrest last Wednesday. He also claimed he lost a couple of his front teeth.

Garcia, 26, a programming technician, of Mt Hope Road, Mt Hope, appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle in the Port of Spain Eighth Court shortly before noon yesterday.

None of his relatives were in court, nor were any of Bahadur’s.

The pint-sized Garcia, who wore a baby pink T-shirt, said he intended to get his own lawyer when Earle-Caddle questioned him after the charge was read.

He then began to complain about the police who arrested him after the incident. “The police damage me real bad,” he said, and he was “brutally beaten” by four officers at the police sub-station who threatened to kill him. He said he was cuffed in the right side of the face; his ear began bleeding and he lost a couple of his front teeth. He did not have the teeth with him, he said.

Garcia also said he could “hardly hear” from his right ear which was hurting him, and his right shoulder and hand were also in pain.

“They hit me a gun butt to my face and cuff me to the right side of my face continuously until my ears started to bleed. I am having trouble hearing in my right ear. I also lost two of my front teeth after one of them kicked me in my mouth.

“They break my glasses.”

Earle-Caddle noted his complaints. Garcia then began to comment on the killing but Earle-Caddle reminded him that he had not been called upon to enter a plea.

“Do you still want me to write that down?” she asked. Garcia retracted the statement.

Garcia also told the acting chief magistrate his name was Tsion Fidani and that he did not know where the police got the other name from.

Prosecutor Insp Winston Dillon said a medical certificate is expected to be produced in court and the police file is expected to be sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for a prosecutor to be assigned the case. Garcia was remanded into custody. He is to return to court on April 24.

Bahadur, a kitchen assistant from Aranguez, was at the Croisee in San Juan when a man, who was released from prison two weeks ago, approached her and stabbed her in the chest.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The man charged for the murder of 27-year-old mother of four Anita Bahadur this morning appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle Caddle in the Port of Spain Eight Court.

Aaron Garcia, 26, was unrepresented but said he intended to get an attorney.

He made several complaints about the police while he was in custody and these complaints were taken down by Earle Caddle.

Garcia is to reappear on April 24.

It is alleged that he murdered Bahadur on March 21, at the Croissee in San Juan.

Bahadur was at the Croisee in San Juan, when a man, who was released from prison two weeks ago, approached her and stabbed her in the chest.