Murder, rape charges for San Juan man

ON the same day she was buried, a San Juan man appeared virtually in court, charged with the murder of 18-year-old Ashanti Riley.

Luciano Quash appeared before magistrate Indar Jagroo just after 1 pm on Monday, more than a week after Riley’s body was found in a forested area in La Canoa, Santa Cruz.

The charge read out to Quash, 33, also known as Brian, a PH taxi driver of Bagatelle Road, was that on a day unknown, during the period Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5, at Upper La Canoa Road, lower Santa Cruz, together with other persons, he murdered Riley, contrary to common law.

He was not called to plead on the indictable charge and will return to court on January 11. Bail is not allowed for a charge of murder.

Almost an hour later, he reappeared before Jagroo on two separate charges of raping a 16-year-old girl on March 14, at La Canoa Road, Santa Cruz and at Bagatelle Road, San Juan, on the same day. Both charges were laid contrary to section 18 of the Children Act.

There was no application for bail since Quash was remanded in the other matter and his attorney Fareed Ali asked for the same January 11 adjourned date for him to return to court. The request was granted.

Earlier on Monday, the police said in a press release Quash was charged on Sunday by PC Thomas of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations (HBI) Region 2, after police received advice from Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC.

Riley, of Sunshine Avenue, San Juan, was reported missing on November 29. Her body was found at Cake Lands, Santa Cruz, on December 4.

The release said Quash was arrested by officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force on December 1.

Acting Insps Stanisclaus and Maharaj, of the HBI Region 2, supervised the investigation into Riley’s murder.

Police said Quash faced two charges of sexual penetration of a minor which took place in March. The release said while in police custody, he was interviewed by members of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) on Friday and put on an ID parade on Saturday.

He was then charged for the offences, also on Sunday, by PC Pinder of the North Eastern Division CPU. Investigations into the two sexual offences charges were supervised by W/Supt George, ASP Sookdeo and Sgt Bishop, all of the CPU.

Riley was last seen getting into a PH taxi after leaving her home to visit her grandmother for birthday celebrations in Cocorite. An autopsy revealed she died from sharp force sounds to the right chest and lower abdomen and blunt force trauma (from a beating) to the back of the left chest.

She was buried at the San Juan cemetery after a funeral at the Mt D’Or Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Another man, 29, was released on Sunday. Police said they were looking for a third man.