Murder suspect surrenders
A suspect wanted for the murder of seismic watchman Kwasi Muraldo has surrendered to police after eluding capture for six days. Investigators said shortly after 7 pm on Monday, the 25-year-old seismic field officer and his attorney Dexter Baily went to the Santa Flora Police Station and he surrendered to acting Sgt Salick Jagroop. He was expected to be put on an identification parade late yesterday. Muraldo was killed around 9 pm on December 28 in front of several workers from Quality Environmental Services, who were awaiting transport to go to a seismic survey site at Los Charos Road, Erin.
'Hard times' thief gets six months
A 44-year-old man caught carting away a stolen air-conditioning condenser, valued $9,000, has been jailed for six months. Philbert Roberts, who told police he was facing "hard times" when arrested with the stolen unit, pleaded guilty to breaking and larceny. He appeared before San Fernando Sixth Court Magistrate Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds charged with the December 28, 2010 offence.
Roberts was arrested by WPC Suzette Alexander and charged with larceny after businessman Shiva Nanansingh reported the air-conditioning condenser stolen. Police held him after he was found pushing the condenser in a trolley.
$50,000 bail for woman on fraud charges
After missing her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exam on Monday, Cocoyea resident Corinne Walcott, who is facing fraud charges, was given a reprieve yesterday when she was granted $50,000 bail. Walcott, 29, was placed on bail when she appeared before San Fernando Fourth Court Magistrate Alicia Chankar on a warrant.
She was arrested for missing her court date in February. Last week, her $20,000 bail was revoked when she appeared in court on a warrant. She is alleged to have fraudulently paid out sums of money while employed at a company. She will reappear in court on January 11.
$1,300 fine for 'bad parking'
Diego Martin truck driver Harold Ali has been ordered to pay $1,300 for parking his gas tanker in a no-parking zone in Marabella in October last year. In his defence, however, the 57-year-old man told San Fernando Traffic Court Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan the brakes in the tanker he was driving started giving trouble prior to parking.
PC Dieffenthaller issued Ali the traffic ticket on October 20, 2010, after Ali parked the empty gas tanker in a no-parking zone in Marabella. Ali said he suffered with a slipped disc in his spine and recently underwent surgery. Rambachan fined him $1,300 or three months hard labour.
Farmer claims robbery by cops
Gasparillo pig farmer Kenson Welcome claims the police robbed him of $23,000 when they arrested him for cocaine trafficking on December 30. Welcome, 29, through his attorney Shaun Tikasingh, made the allegation when he appeared before San Fernando Second Court Magistrate Roger Ramgoolam on Monday. Ramgoolam, in response to Welcome's allegation said: "No receipt?" Police prosecutor Sgt Wendell Fernando, said: "No." "It may be an allegation but I am not seeing any money listed and no money was presented to me," Fernando contended.
Welcome was charged with having 15.1 grammes of cocaine in his possession on December 30, at Gasparillo for the purpose of trafficking. The magistrate advised Welcome to apply to a judge in chambers for bail. He was ordered to reappear in court on January 10.