The 26-year-old man accused of murdering mother of four Anita Bahadur, last week in San Juan, has claimed to have been beaten by police after his arrest.
Aaron Garcia, also known as Tsion Fieani, of Mt Hope Road, Mt Hope, appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle-Caddle in the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court charged with stabbing his ex-girlfriend Bahadur to death during an altercation at the Croisee in San Juan, last Wednesday in front scores of people.
He was held by three people after the incident and beaten before being turned over to the police.
Dressed in a pink T-shirt, Garcia, who is barely five feet tall, stood silently in the prisoner’s enclosure of the court as the charge was being read.
As soon as he was given an opportunity to address Busby-Earle-Caddle, Garcia claimed that he was beaten by four police officers at the San Juan Sub Station after he handed over by a group of men, who detained him shortly after the incident.
“Police damage me real bad. They hit me with a gun butt in my face and even threaten to kill me,” Garcia said.
He claimed he was punched several times in his head until his ears started to bleed.
“I collect a boot to my mouth that take out my two front teeth,” Garcia said. He also claimed that the officers broke his glasses.
“I could hardly hear in my right ear and my left side is continually paining,” Garcia said.
Asked by Busby-Earle-Caddle which of his teeth were damaged, Garcia smiled. His silent response drew chuckles from almost all present in the courtroom including Busby-Earle-Caddle.
Although he was able to recount the details of the alleged attack, he did not have the names or regimental numbers of any of his attackers.
After Garcia detailed the alleged abuse, he was asked if he had additional concerns.
Garcia continuously sobbed as he mumbled a seemingly incriminating statement. He was immediately stopped by Busby-Earle-Caddle, who reminded him that he was not called upon to plead to the charge.
Garcia then retracted the statement.
Garcia’s claims appeared to be corroborated by photographs circulated on social media of him bleeding after he was taken to the station.
The men who held Garcia after witnessing the incident, admitting to beating Garcia before handing him over to police, when interviewed, last week. Garcia did not make any allegations against the men who held him.
In response to the allegations, police prosecutor Insp Wayne Mohammed said all he could confirm was that Garcia was taken for medical treatment at the hospital while in police custody. Garcia, who was not represented by an attorney, is expected to reappear in court on April 24.