Doctor’s murder-accused seen by doctors, discharged

A teenager charged with kidnapping two doctors, one of whom was murdered, was treated at the San Fernando General Hospital and discharged on Tuesday.

Senior magistrate Jo-Anne Connor was told this on Friday in the San Fernando magistrates' court by Chantal Paul, attorney for the 17-year-old.

Hospital doctors, she said, gave him panadeine. The drug treats headaches, muscle pain and arthritis.

The teen, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, reappeared on six charges relating to the January 15 kidnapping of Sharma and his colleague Dr Prem Naidoo at Rushworth Street, San Fernando.

They are two counts of robbery, two counts of kidnapping, murdering Sharma and the teen's alleged accomplice Akeem Marine.

Sharma was killed when the car he and Naidoo were locked into, ran off the northbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Macaulay. Marine died two days later at the hospital. Another alleged accomplice, Antonio Francois, 19, of Bamboo Village, La Romaine, is also facing charges of kidnapping, murder and robbery.

The teen, from Embacadere, Lower Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, had to be held by both arms by police as he walked slowly to the dock.

Paul, instructed by Celeste Francois, who on Tuesday had asked Connor to send the teen for psychiatric assessment, was shown the medical report on the teen's visit on Tuesday.

Connor asked Paul whether the teen had demonstrated any illnesses before the accident.

"No, your worship. But I'm still unable to take instructions from him. It could be that he has a psychological problem."

Connor said she thought it would be prudent to have him neurologically assessed and, based on the findings, a psychiatric examination could be ordered.

"At any time the court can decide to have it done," Connor said.

The magistrate postponed the case to February 20, when the two accused will reappear.