A San Fernando police constable has appeared in court charged with the murder of eight-year-old Daniel Guerra, whose body was found floating in a river 52 days ago.Yesterday police officers shielded Constable Darwin Ghouralal, 41, of, La Romaine, as he was escorted to the San Fernando Magistrates' Court.Ghouralal, who was not handcuffed, stood in the San Fernando Second Court prisoners' dock and chatted with fellow officers as he waited for his matter to be called. He was the only prisoner in the dock at the time.At around 2.25 pm magistrate Roger Ramgoolam read the charge that Ghouralal, on a date unknown between February 12 and 21, 2011, murdered Guerra.The officer stared straight ahead as the charge was read to him. He was dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans.The courtroom was filled with police officers who came to show support for their colleague.
None of his family, or Guerra's, were in court.The charge was laid by Sgt Anderson Parriman. Attorney Shaun Tikasingh, who held for Ghouralal's attorney, Kevin Rattiram, asked for special transport arrangements for the accused.He said: "He is currently a police officer. I do not know the type of arrangements that will be made for these types of prisoners. I ask that he not be transported with other prisoners."Ramgoolam asked if Ghouralal would be placed at the prisons' Infirmary and prosecutor Ramdath Phillip replied: "Yes, that is the case." Ramgoolam transferred the matter to the San Fernando First Court where Ghouralal will reappear today.Today, Ghouralal also was expected to appear in court as a police complainant in a court matter.
Police sources said his court cases would be re-assigned to another office.Ghouralal arrived at the courthouse at around 2.15 pm in a heavily-tinted, unmarked vehicle.Media photographers, who had been waiting since 8.30 am, were blocked from getting photos of him as he was being escorted from the vehicle.Police officers shut the gates of the court and drove a police vehicle vertically across the gateway, blocking the view.Daniel, a Standard Two student of the Gasparillo Government Primary School, went missing on February 18 when he went to a parlour near his Bedeau Street, Gasparillo, home.Searches were launched for him. On February 20, his body was found floating in the Tarouba River, near the San Fernando Technical Institute, Tarouba/Palmyra Link Road.
