Crime is catastrophic

CATASTROPHIC. This was how a senior magistrate yesterday described the current crime situation. Magistrate Siumongal Ramsaran, presiding in the Couva Court, said judicial officers are given directives to set bail amounts for cases of guns and ammunition cases to compel accused men and women to return to court for their hearings.

This, he said, was because of the number of people losing their lives by guns. “In January there were more murders per day and most of these murders were by firearms,” the magistrate said. He recalled the murder of 18-year-old Eric Ganesh shot dead in Princes Town on Saturday night.

The magistrate’s comments came during the hearing of a case involving a mother who asked him to reduce her bail. “Sir, I want to say something. I was in jail when my son was shot dead. I did not even get to go to his funeral,” she said. She told the magistrate her request for bail to be varied was denied by a High Court judge.

“I am really sorry, ma’am, I sympathise with you and the loss of your son,” Ramsaran said. But he told her he could not tamper with an order made by a judge. Ramsaran said people on gun and ammunition charges must face the consequences of their actions and must come to court.

“You see how your son was killed ma’am, by a gun? This is what is happening, most of the murders are being committed by guns.” The case was later adjourned.