RALPH BANWARIE
A neighbour of a 62-year-old retired nurse, who suffocated on a towel stuffed in her mouth, appeared in court yesterday charged with her murder.
Simeon Garcia, 29, unemployed, of Cocorite Drive, North Eastern Settlement, Ojoe Road, Sangre Grande, was remanded into custody by Sangre Grande Magistrate Siumungal Ramsaran to reappear on December 9.
Dressed in a blue long-sleeved shirt and grey pants, Garcia stood silently as Ramsaran read the murder charge. The State alleges that on October 18, he murdered mother of five, Savitri Juteram, at her Jacob Coat Road, North Eastern Settlement home.
Garcia lived three houses away from Juteram.
Relatives of the victim and other members of the public gathered outside the courthouse to catch a glimpse of the accused as he made his way from the nearby police station to the court.
Onlookers hurled abuse at Garcia as he was escorted by police officers. Some shouted “Shame on you man, you need to be punished.”
Garcia was arrested by Sangre Grande Task Force officers last Friday and handed over to homicide investigators of Region 11, Arouca.
The accused was charged after instructions from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Police investigators say they intend to arrest three more people for the crime.
WPC Joseph-Gibson laid the charge.
One relative who attended yesterday’s hearing said they were happy someone was charged.
“We all missed our mother, and this Christmas will be very sad as we have no mother to visit and purchase gifts for but await the trial and its outcome,” he said.