Charges soon for abusive knife-wielding Moruga father

Charges are expected to be laid soon against a Moruga man who was seen in a video abusing his son while holding a knife in a public space on February 10.

ACP South/Central Wayne Mystar told Newsday police were still conducting interviews up to the evening of February 12.

The 43-year-old suspect, from Marac Village, was taken into custody by the Special Victim Department (SVD) around 9 pm on February 11 after the video was shared with the Moruga police, and a report was made.

The Children’s Authority also went to the home of the suspect, and rescued the nine-year-old who was seen being physically and verbally abused in the video along with two of his brothers, ages seven and five.

Police were first alerted to the incident around 3.45 pm on February 11, when a Moruga woman reported a disturbing call she had received from her daughter earlier that day.

The woman said her daughter, who lives near the suspect, had said that around 8.45 pm on February 10, she heard a child screaming outside her home.

Outside, she saw a man she knew holding a knife while physically abusing one of his sons in the road.

She recorded the incident in a three-minute and 20 second video on her phone.

Police contacted the Children’s Authority and SVD.

Around 9 pm on February 11, officers from the Moruga Police Station under the supervision of Asp Bandhan and including Sgt Charles, acting Sgt Mungroo, Southern Division Task Force, Cpl Ramdass, WPC Valentine of the SVD and a representative of the authority, went to the suspect's home.

Reports indicate that the children's mother was murdered a few years ago and the children who were left in his custody often suffered abuse when he was under the influence of alcohol.

Police said no reports were ever made to them. The children were said to be in good health and remained in the custody of the Children's Authority.