Mukey on murder charge

POLICE amended the kidnapping with intent to kill charge against Mukey Pierre to one of murder and he appeared before a Siparia magistrate yesterday on the new charge.

On Monday morning, the accused labourer reappeared before Siparia magistrate Margaret Alert, who at the previous hearings, denied him bail for allegedly kidnapping, beating and throwing one of his neighbours down a 16-foot deep well.

The charges against him are that between March 17 and 18, Pierre unlawfully carried away Romeo Mitchell from Victor Street, Syne Village in Penal and kidnapped Mitchell with intent to murder him at Mora Dam Road in Siparia.

Mitchell died on March 26 at the San Fernando General Hospital, the day after Pierre made his first appearance in court charged with the two offences.

On Monday, prosecutor Sgt Starr Jacob told the magistrate that Mitchell had died and amendments were to be made. By evening, deputy director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Honore-Paul and assistant DPP Angelica Teelucksingh-Ramoutar gave instructions for police to amend the charge.

The legal officer of the Homicide Bureau Region III PC Kyrn Lewis had earlier submitted a file on the matter in consultation with Sgt Jaggernath and PC Jimdar of the Siparia CID.

On Monday evening Pierre appeared before a justice of the peace who remanded him into custody to reappear before a magistrate yesterday. Yesterday the magistrate denied bail and remanded him into custody to reappear in court on May 13.

PC Jimdar of Siparia CID laid the charge.