Armed escort for accusedBy AZARD ALI Wednesday, November 4 2009
SHERWIN WILSON, the man accused of killing Peter Garcia in the yard of the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court on October 19, was yesterday afforded heavily armed police protection when he made his first appearance to answer that charge in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court.
The street at the front of the courthouse was blocked by police who also kept reporters, photographers and cameramen at bay when the vehicle transporting Wilson, 36, arrived.
The vehicle sped into the basement of the courthouse as Wilson was whisked away out of the eyes of the public.
Policemen armed with machine-guns patrolled outside the courthouse as Wilson was inside appearing before Senior Magistrate Indra Ramoo-Haynes to answer the charge.
Wilson of Guayaguayare Road, Rio Claro is charged with the murder of Garcia who on Monday October 19, while handcuffed and being escorted by an unarmed policeman, was shot dead by two men dressed in full construction worker gear in the yard of the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court.
Garcia had moments earlier, appeared in court for the murder of Simboonath Kumar, chutney promoter and proprietor of “D Triangle” cultural complex in Aranjuez. Wilson’s attorney Selwyn Ramlal yesterday commended the police for protecting his client and asked that they continue to do so whenever Wilson reappears in court.
Ramoo-Haynes read the charge which stated that on October 19, Wilson and other persons not yet charged, murdered Garcia in the Rio Claro district.
Wilson was not called on to plea to the charge laid by Sgt Anderson Pittiman.
Ramlal told Ramoo-Haynes that Wilson’s relatives received threats to the effect that if he is incarcerated at Maximum Security prison, “he would be dealt with”.
“Madam, the accused has information that if he comes to the Maximum Security state prison, he would suffer the same fate as Garcia,” Ramlal said as he also requested full disclosure of statements and other evidence by the police, particularly copies of the tape recordings from video cameras fixed around the Rio Claro courthouse.
Ramoo-Haynes remanded Garcia into custody and transferred the case to the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court to be heard next week Tuesday.
The murder case against Garcia is expected to be called today in the Rio Claro court where it is expected that the case will be formally discontinued.
