A little over six months after security guard John Adams was shot dead during a jewelry heist at a mall in downtown Port-of-Spain, a 27-year-old man has appeared in court charged with his murder. The murder charge was one of six charges arising out of the robbery on May 27 slapped on Kwame Alexander, of Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain, when he appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Court.
He also was charged with possession of a gun and ammunition, possession of the weapon and ammunition with intent to endanger life and also with robbing Anton’s Gold Rush of 83 gold pendants valued at $120,000. Ayers-Caesar also read an outstanding warrant to Alexander for his non-appearance in a 2011 case which is before the Chaguanas Magistrates Court.
The incident occurred around midday on May 27 at the store’s branch at Aboutique Mall, lower Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, where Adams, 41, of Trou Macaque, Laventille, worked as a security guard. After the charges were read to Alexander, his lawyer Fareed Ali asked Ayers-Caesar if he could raise a preliminary issue over his client’s treatment while in police custody. Ali said his client was arrested on November 23 and had not been allowed to have a shower for two days from then.
Court prosecutor Cpl Kelston Pope told Ali he was unable to confirm whether Alexander’s allegations were true and promised to look into the matter. Before the case was adjourned, Ali asked for the evidence against his client, including statements, results of identification parades and CCTV recordings, to be disclosed to him as soon as possible. A state attorney has yet to be assigned to prosecute. Alexander will reappear in court on January 7.