Alleged cop-killer charged

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

A man was Friday morning arraigned for the murder of a policeman at his home earlier this week, but he claimed that he was beaten and forced to sign a confession statement.

Vickram Persaud, 28, was not required to plea to the indictable charge of murder allegedly committed on Constable Michael Cumberbatch at North Sophia on September 23.

The accused asked the court to pardon him. Showing marks of violence on his body, he claimed that investigators beat him from the first night he was arrested. He claimed that he was beaten repeatedly and brutally to give a caution statement.

Persaud, of Doctor’s Dam, La Grange, West Bank Demerara, claimed that the police picked their own people to identify him on a parade. He claimed he was not allowed to contact lawyers George Thomas and Patrice Henry.

Prosecutor, Seon Blackman asked the court for three weeks for the case to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

Persaud, who has two children and a common-law wife, was ordered by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to return to court on October 17. He was remanded to prison because murder is not a bail-able offence.

Police have said that investigations have revealed that Cumberbatch was at home, when he was confronted by the perpetrator enquiring about one ‘Quacy’. An argument ensued, during which he was shot to his chest.