Charge not yet upgraded to murder

TODAY, a Siparia magistrate is expected to get a report on an accused man whom she sent, two weeks ago, to the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital for an evaluation.

On March 25, Mukey Pierre appeared before magistrate Margaret Alert in the first court charged with kidnapping his neighbour Romeo Mitchell and kidnapping him with intent to kill.

Those charges alleged that between March 17 and 18, Pierre unlawfully carried away Mitchell from Victor Street, Syne Village in Penal. It is also alleged Pierre kidnapped Mitchell with intent to murder him at Mora Dam Road in Siparia. Mitchell was thrown down a 16-foot-deep well and Siparia fire officers rescued him.

Mitchell, however, died on the night of March 26 at the San Fernando General Hospital, just over 24 hours after Pierre appeared in court. Police said the charges would be amended but up to late yesterday, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had not given instructions to police to do so.

On March 18, police from Siparia CID, among them Sgt Jaggernath and PCs Jimdar and Phillips, visited the scene, interviewed people and later arrested a man. PC Jimdar of Siparia CID laid the charges, which are indictable.