National sportsman, Dwarka Gangadin was yesterday rearrested and charged with the murder of his wife, Bridgette, whose mangled remains were found on the Vigilance public road, two Sundays ago, the police announced last evening.
A press release from the Police Public Relations Office said that this development resulted from investigations conducted and advice given by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
This sudden twist in events comes after days of tension between the two families and amidst preparations to cremate the remains by today in keeping with a court order issued on Monday.
Last evening relatives said this was a small victory and expressed the hope, that justice will prevail. They said that the last nine days have been tough for them and expressed the hope that Bridgette is now at peace.
Earlier in the day, Gangadin’s attorney, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos said that his client was again held some time yesterday and he had been told that the DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack had advised that he be charged with murder; hence the re-arrest.
This newspaper has been reliably informed that the decision to charge was based on the results of a second post-mortem examination conducted by a Trinidadian pathologist, which revealed evidence of strangulation. The pathologist who also teaches the subject at the University of the West Indies was hired by Gangadin’s parents and other relatives as they were not satisfied with the first one which was conducted by government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh. Dr. Singh had given the cause of death as crush injuries to the head caused by a wheel and a fractured skull.
Also, some additional statements contributed to the DPP’s recommendation yesterday as with those statements there is now enough evidence to take the matter to court, this newspaper was told. Gangadin’s mother Sheila also confirmed the arrest but stressed that she did not have any more information.
This latest development is one that the woman’s family had been pushing for as they were convinced that she died at the hands of her 34-year-old husband. Gangadin who tried to hide after the incident had told investigators while in custody that Bridgette jumped out of the moving canter truck they were in and he accidentally ran over her head.
But her relatives had questioned this saying that his explanation did not make sense to them. They had also said that it was puzzling that he would have returned home, changed vehicles and then headed to Enterprise, passing the body on the way.
Relatives had recounted years of the abuse she suffered and her mother-in-law also admitted this to Stabroek News saying that he had promised to change his behaviour but never did.
Observers have questioned why Gangadin was released on station bail and charged the following day with drunk driving when his wife was dead and he clearly at no point sought to inform the police of the incident or get help for her as she lay injured on the roadway, a stone’s throw away from the Vigilance Police Station.
Cremation
set for today
Last Saturday, Gangadin halted a cremation planned by Bridgette’s relatives after securing an injunction to include him in the funeral proceedings.
The matter was adjourned to Monday and when the parties met, they agreed to plan the ceremony together.
A court order was subsequently issued outlining who is to dress the body and how much time, the remains are to be at her parents’ house and then at her husband’s home.
The order also stated that the cremation is to take place no later than today.
Yesterday however, tempers reached boiling point after a planned 1 pm cremation was cancelled, resulting in allegations by the dead woman’s family that her husband and in-laws were deliberately trying to frustrate them.
The woman’s uncle, Heeralall Sookdeo said that the two families had agreed that the cremation would have taken place yesterday but the other party has since said that that was her family’s desire and not theirs.
Sookdeo stated that yesterday morning he went to the police station after being informed that the cremation would no longer take place and Gangadin who was subsequently summoned told the ranks that his parents were not prepared and that the cremation will take place today.
The Ministry of Health had already given a letter of approval for the cremation but later, Bridgette’s relatives received a cancellation letter which stated “Please be informed that this approval has been withdrawn with immediate effect as such you are not permitted to cremate the remains…”.
Sookdeo said that this was shocking to him because they had made all the necessary arrangements for the cremation yesterday.
He stressed that at no time did the court order that the body be handed over to Gangadin and/ or his relatives. In the court order seen by this newspaper, this was not stated.
He added that the cancellation was most unfortunate as the remaining 13 overseas-based relatives will be leaving the country, early today.
“He wants to push us man. He just ain’t want de family see she bun”, he said before questioning why the cremation could not have proceeded as planned.
Responding to questions from this newspaper, he said that at no time were the in-laws barred from the first cremation plans. Rather he said that they were invited and he even went as far as requesting police protection for Gangadin at the cremation. However, neither he nor their two sons or the in-laws, turned up.
The man said that he is so tired that he doesn’t have the strength to take part in today’s ceremony.
“We got to do everything all over again”, he added.
Meanwhile Sheila told this newspaper that Bridgette’s relatives are “fabricating stories” about what they will do. She said that the arrangement in court was that they would meet and discuss the plans. According to her, Bridgette’s relatives wanted it to be done yesterday while they planned it for today.
She informed this newspaper that her family is no longer interested in conducted a third autopsy.
“God is in charge and I just have to keep the faith”, she said adding that the body is scheduled to leave the Jerrick’s Funeral Home at 9 am then to Annandale for Bridgette’s relatives to hold a one-hour service. The body will then be transported to her Lusignan home before being taken to the Good Hope Cremation site.
