Three in court for ‘Night of Terror’ Penal home invasion

THREE men appeared in the Siparia Magistrates’ court yesterday charged with last Monday’s chopping and robbing a family in Suchit Trace, Penal.

Magistrate Margaret Alert refused bail to Leon De Leon, 18, of Platinite Trace; Brandon Edward, 23, also of Platinite Trace; and Stephen Sonnylal, 24, of Seebalack Trace. She remanded them into custody.

The charges of robbery and chopping Anisa Ramnarine, 28, her brother-in-law, and biting her 74-year-old stepfather stemmed from an alleged home invasion at about 2 am. Ramnarine was chopped across the right eye and needed 22 stitches.

Alert read charges to De Leon, Edward and Sonnylal that together with other men, they robbed Ramnarine, Nishan Bissoon, 30, and Jairam Bedasie, 74. Bissoon was chopped on the foot and Bedasie bitten on the hand.

It is alleged they robbed them of cell phones, gold bracelets, pendants, earrings and gold chains. The three were not called upon to plead.

Additionally, the magistrate read charges that, having robbed the family members of an undisclosed amount of cash, they used personal violence.

Ramnarine sat in court with a bandage across her right eye, with relatives.

PC Jeremy Morean of the Penal CID laid the charges.

Attorneys Ramnarine Soorjansingh and Omar Jokhan, represented the three accused and asked Alert to consider bail for them.

The court prosecutor, Sgt Jacob Starr, objected on the ground that De Leon has charges pending for larceny and drug possession, Edward for wounding and Sonnylal for burglary and robbery.

Alert denied bail and ordered Sonnylal and Edwards to return to court on Friday in respect of charges in which the court is expected to give decisions. Together with De Leon, they are to return to court on January 14.