Cops charged with kidnapping, murder appear in court
Two police officers have been remanded after appearing in court in connection with the kidnapping and murder of used car dealer Sachel “Pablo” Kungebeharry.
Acting Cpl Ashraf Mohammed, 45, of Chin Chin Road, Cunupia, and PC Jason Dan Michael, 34, of Charlieville, made their first court appearance before High Court Master Margaret Sookraj-Goswami, a short while ago.
The officers, who were last assigned to the Caroni Police Station, were charged with Kungebeharry’s murder and for misbehaving in public office by kidnapping him for ransom.
They made their virtual court appearance from the Besson Street Police Station.
The hearing was witnessed by Mohammed’s sister and mother and Michael’s mother, who were at the offices of their attorneys Shiva Boodoo and Roshni Balkaran.
During the hearing, Master Sookraj-Goswami advised them that they could not rely on alibis in their eventual trial unless they gave an indication and provided the name of witnesses to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) within 21 days or during their sufficiency hearing before her.
Acting Sgt Lawrence Joefield, who charged the duo, indicated that there were approximately 40 witnesses in the case.
Balkaran questioned the reason why a cellphone owned by Mohammed’s wife and Michael’s car were seized during searches at their home.
Joefield said that the phone and car were being inspected for possible evidence and would be returned in the event that nothing of evidential value is found.
Master Sookraj-Goswami set deadlines for the filing of documents in the case before setting a status hearing for October 29, next year. She is scheduled to conduct a sufficiency hearing for the duo on November 7, next year.
Bail was not considered during the hearing as the duo would have to apply to a judge to consider such.
Kungebeharry, 32, from Pierre Road, Felicity, was abducted on September 25.
He was reported driving along Jerningham Railway Road, Endeavour, Chaguanas when his vehicle was stopped by a marked police car.
Two men dressed in police tactical uniforms claimed that they had a warrant for his arrest before removing him from the vehicle, placing him in theirs and driving away.
The passengers in Kungebeharry’s car were unharmed.
Kungebeharry’s relatives received a ransom request and $500,000 was eventually delivered to a location in Las Lomas identified by his alleged abductors.
However, he was not released as promised.
His body was eventually found in a shallow grave at Pokhor Road in Longdenville on October 4.
He was identified by his fingerprints and an autopsy performed at the Forensic Science Centre in St James showed that he died of chop wounds to his neck and head and a stab wound to his upper back.
According to the summary of evidence presented during the hearing, Michael was arrested at a location he was allegedly known to frequent. Investigators allegedly found and seized $42,700 at the location.
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