Trinidad: 70-year-old murder accused faces legal trial

The law enforcement authority laid charges on a 70-year-old male suspect in a murder case in a locality of the capital, Port of Spain.

14th of August 2024

Trinidad: 70-year-old murder accused faces legal trial

Trinidad and Tobago: The law enforcement authority laid charges on a 70-year-old male suspect in a murder case in a locality of the capital, Port of Spain.

The man was scheduled to face legal trials before a Master of the High Court on Tuesday, 13 August. The victim of the fatal act was killed by the accused man by stabbing on August 02 Friday.

The senior citizen who is facing the charges in the case of murder in Port of Spain is identified as a local resident of the capital district. The man in his initial seventies is mentioned in the police reports by his name, Willifred James Roach, as per his official documents. Willifred James Roach is a vendor by occupation, which is the source of his daily earnings.

The senior citizen, Willifred James Roach, lives in a residence located at Beetham Gardens in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The victim who was killed in the serious criminal act was identified as a 31-year-old man.

The victim, Jabari Azikiwe Phillip, was mentioned in the police report as a resident of Saint James. The dead man was a taxi driver in his field of profession.

As per the reports on the murder case of Port of Spain by a senior citizen, the victim’s taxi driver was at the scene on the day before the incident took place. It is said that the victim parked his taxi at the intersection of Independence Square North and Henry Street when he got involved in an altercation with the old vendor.

It is mentioned in the provided details by the police that the altercation on the day got physical and elevated till it turned into a crime.

The 70-year-old vendor allegedly picked a pointed object, which he used as a weapon against the victim. Subsequently, the old man launched an attack on the taxi driver and stabbed him in the chest, which led to his death eventually.

Reportedly, the victim man, in an injured condition, was taken to the hospital under medical observation for treatment.

In the hospital, the final declaration was passed by the doctor confirming the death of the taxi driver. The information about the murder in Port of Spain came to the knowledge of the police department, who launched the operation to find the culprit.

The officers from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations got involved in the matter, and their investigation led to the arrest of a male suspect. The investigation team held the old man on Wednesday, 07 August.

Eventually, the man was laid with relevant charges of murder on Monday, 12 August.

The old vendor was charged following the advice of Joan Honore-Paul, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions. The case was handled by the officers of HBI Region One, including ASP Ag Ramjag and Inspector Ag Ramsumair. The charges were laid under the guidance of PC Ramsawak, also from HBI Region One.