Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard has instructed police to charge one man with the murder of court clerk Andrea Bharatt.
Investigators told the Express they planned to lay the charge overnight, with the intent of bringing the 24-year-old Malabar man before the courts today.
The man was allegedly in the vehicle when Joel Balcon kidnapped Bharatt in Arima on January 29.
The instructions were given yesterday afternoon by the DPP.
Investigators said Gaspard also instructed that the man’s wife—a 37-year-old—be charged with the offence of receiving stolen articles.
Balcon died from blunt force trauma
Balcon died on Monday afternoon at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.
His autopsy conducted yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park found he had died as a result of blunt force trauma.
His injuries included brain fractures, several broken ribs, bleeding from his internal organs, burn marks to his back (possibly from a Taser), contusion to the right eye, bleeding to the brain and damage to the legs and shoulders.
The autopsy was performed by pathologist Dr Eastlyn McDonald Burris.
Balcon, aka Devon Charles, was the second person to have died in police custody.
Andrew Morris, 35, of Tumpuna Road, Arima, died at the Arima Hospital on February 1, but his death was reported by police on February 3.
Police said he was taken to hospital after suffering injuries when he attempted to escape.
A post-mortem performed on Monday at the Forensic Science Centre was inconclusive.
Relatives ordered a second private autopsy which was performed on Tuesday by pathologist Prof Hubert Daisley at Simpsons Shalom Chapel in Couva.
This post-mortem said Morris died from blunt force trauma, which made his lungs collapse.
Andrea’s funeral tomorrow
Bharatt’s funeral is expected to be take place tomorrow.
Relatives told the Express her body will be taken to the family’s home where a small ceremony with close family members will be held at 9 a.m.
From there, her body will be transported as part of a procession past the Arima Magistrates’ Court before being taken to the Faith Assembly Church in Arouca where her funeral service will take place from 11 a.m.
This service is expected to be livestreamed.
Bharatt will be cremated at Belgroves Funeral Home in Tacarigua.
The results of a post-mortem conducted on Monday on Bharatt’s body were inconclusive.
However, a second private autopsy performed at Boodoo’s Funeral Home in Cunupia the following day determined she died from blunt force trauma to the head, and haemorrhaging.
National Security Minister Stuart Young told the Express on Tuesday that he has asked for a report from the Forensic Science Centre.
“I have confidence in the forensic pathologists at the Forensic Science Centre. I await the outcome of this report,” Young said.
| Bharatt, a graduate of The University of the West Indies, was a clerk at the Arima Magistrates’ Court. On the afternoon of January 29, she and a work colleague got into what she believed was a taxi on King Street, Arima. |