Preysal man charged with Venezuelan woman's murder

A 35-year-old Preysal mechanic is expected to face a Couva magistrate virtually on Thursday charged with the murder of a Venezuelan woman.

On Wednesday evening, the DPP instructed police to charge Calvin John Bahadur after reviewing a file submitted by legal officer PC Kyrn Lewis of the Homicide Bureau.

Police said Cpl Smith supervised investigations and WPC Knights laid the charge.

The funeral of Joanna Diaz Sanchez, 32, originally from Tucupita, is set for Friday.

Last Saturday, police among them Insps James, Figaro and Ragoo, found her body in a cesspit at the man’s home at Santa Clara Road.

Earlier in the day, he allegedly confessed to dumping her there.

Relatives had reported her missing a few days earlier after she left her home at Princes Town. She told them she was going to meet someone in San Fernando for money.

Police arrested him at home on Friday for questioning over her disappearance. She had an on-and-off relationship with the man.

The autopsy on Monday at the Forensic Sciences Centre at St James found the cause of death was inconclusive.

Sanchez lived with her 14-year-old daughter, who is now staying with a relative at La Romaine.

Missionary priest from the Diocese of Carúpano, Fr Gutemberg Tosca Barahona, together with Fr Robert Christo, the parish priest of St Dominic's RC in Penal, and its Parish Ministry for Migrants and Refugees (PMMR) are working with relatives to arrange the funeral.