Escapee in court on murder charge

Recaptured prisoner Halim Ballack appeared before a Point Fortin magistrate October 17 on charges ranging from murder to kidnapping and robbery with violence. Ballack, 29, of Palo Seco, appeared before Magistrate Indrani Cedeno one week after his escape from cells at the Point Fortin Police Station.

He and fellow prisoner Malcolm Fraser escaped on October 13. After seven days of searches by South Western Division police officers, he was recaptured on Sunday October 16 in a house at Beach Road, Palo Seco, a few meters way from his home. He is scheduled to reappear in court on October 31.

The charges against him are that on October 13 at the Point Fortin Police Station he escaped lawful custody; on September 25 at Reservoir Hill, Point Fortin, he murdered Wayne Carrington; and on September 25, at Hercules Drive, Egypt Village, Point Fortin, he robbed Elizabeth Sunny of a gold chain and pendant, valued at $1,400. Ballack is also accused of taking John Jackson against his will, obbing him of his cellphone, valued at $198, $28 in cash and used personal violence against him. Decked in a burgundy T-shirt and grey denim pants, Ballack gazed nonchalantly around the courtroom as the charges were read to him.

He stood silently for most of the proceedings but when he was leaving uttered a few words to a lone relative in the courtroom.

Machel & Rikki Jai to return to Trinidad’s Calypso Monarch

Machel Montano & Rikki Jai

Reigning International Power (Soca) Monarch Machel Montano and defending National Chutney Monarch Rikki Jai will compete in next year’s National Calypso Monarch Competition.

They made the joint announcement of their return to competition which served as the foundation for their careers at Sunday’s staging of Saute Trinbago, produced by Cloud Nine Promotions at the NCC Carpark at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

Montano hinted that his selection for the competition was likely to be The Youngest Veteran, while Jai’s will per Machel Montano & Rikki Jai form Love, Family, Life. Contacted for comment on this development, reigning Calypso Monarch Karene Asche welcomed the news.“By all means. The competition is open to everyone and I don’t see why not. It would be interesting,” she said, chuckling.

Brother Resistance (Lutalo Masimba) president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO), also hailed the return of Jai and Montano to the competition, describing it as “very good.”

“Machel and Rikki Jai are very much welcome. We look forward to the vibration they will bring. The Calypso Monarch competition is open to all artistes from T&T. It will bring a sense of excitement to the competition. That’s where they started. Machel was a former Junior Calypso Monarch. I could understand the calling,” he said.

Young calypsonian Chucky (Roderick Gordon) was delighted by the news. Chucky, who described himself as a young artiste in the calypso genre straddling the generation gap, said the presence of Machel and Jai would draw the attention of a younger audience to the competition. 

Jai and Montano were winners of the $2 million first prizes awarded to the Soca Monarch and Chutney Soca Monarch competitions this year.

Jail for All

Several people charged over the weekend of September 16-18, were taken to prison on Monday September 19, unable to secure bail because no  magistrate showed up for work in San Fernando.

The magistrates instead attended a wellness seminar hosted by judiciary officials, who described the absence as “normal” and apologised for the inconvenience.

In their absence, Clerk of the Peace Alfred Ali presided over court matters for the five courts. He informed at least 30 defendants of the charges they faced and adjourned the matters. Since Ali does not have the magisterial powers, people making their first court appearances were unable to enter pleas.

Several matters, including seven men charged with breaching the 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew between Friday to Sunday, are adjourned to on Wednesday September 21.

Those in custody since their arrest could not be granted bail and remained behind bars.

When the charge of marijuana possession was read to one man, he said, “I guilty, I guilty’’, only to be told that he would be sent to prison until Wednesday.

Outside the courthouse family members of several prisoners complained that the matters of their relatives were put off to another date.

“My husband in custody since last  week. He come down today and it have no magistrate. That not fair, that not right,” one woman said.

Apart from the alleged curfew breakers, Akiela Joseph, who was denied bail at her last court appearance, was remanded in prison custody until October 17.

Joseph was charged by Constable Elliot with unlawful and malicious wounding after she allegedly hit Mark Seaton on the head with a bottle.

The alleged incident occurred around 9 p.m. on August 19 at a bar on Coffee Street, San Fernando.

Commenting on the situation at the court, Court Protocol and Information Manager Jones P Madeira said, “This is quite normal. Whenever magistrates are away, the Clerk of the Peace assumes the responsibility to deal with bailable offences which is what happened this (yesterday) morning.”

Madeira said the two-day session had been arranged “sometime ago and mechanism were put in place. Magistrates’ training is important. If anything fell through the cracks and there were any inconveniences to anyone, the judiciary apologises sincerely.”

A comment made about this incident by a citizen: “I think this is very irresponsible of the judiciary. With the current state of emergency, their courts are already full and backing up, yet they take tax payers time to go on a seminar! Could this not have been done on the weekend or at another more convenient time? What convenient for them not the hundreds who have to suffer while they socialize!”

Boy, 14, in court for murder

A 14 year old boy appeared before a magistrate in San Fernando on Monday July 25 to answer a charge of murder.

The boy was arrested last Tuesday in connection with the murder of O’Brien George, 49, who was beaten to death on March 3.

On that day, George was accosted by four persons as he walked to his home at Springvale Avenue, Taradale, Ste Madeleine, according to police reports. He was beaten to death. Police reported the motive for the attack was robbery.

The boy is one of several persons arrested and charged for the killing, but only the 14-year-old appeared in court yesterday.

The boy was kept at the homicide office in the San Fernando Police Station, before he was taken to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. A policeman then escorted the boy before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar.

The magistrate then read the charge against the boy that on March 3, 2011, at Taradale Gardens, Ste Madeleine, he murdered O’Brien George. The charge was laid indictably.

Ayers-Caesar asked the boy’s mother whether she was seeking the services of an attorney, and she replied: “Yes ma’am.”

The magistrate remanded the accused to the St Michael’s Home for Boys in Diego Martin to reappear on August 2. Another person has been charged with George’s murder.