The taxi driver, whose car was used to transport murdered Sophia woman, Simone Hackett, was yesterday charged with her murder and remanded to prison.
Ranachal Singh, 31, of Lot 7 Good Faith, Mahaicony, was not required to plead to the charge that between April 16 and 19, at Cummings Lodge, he murdered Hackett.
Singh appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, at the Better Hope Community Centre where Sparendaam Magistrate Court matters are temporarily being heard.
According to Singh’s lawyer, Jerome Khan, his client, who turned himself in at the Mahdia Police Station had been acting under duress as his life and the lives of his family members were under threat for a murder he did not commit.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Hattie Anthony told the court that on the day in question, the accused along with another who was also charged with the murder, were in a motor car when they picked up Hackett at the University of Guyana’s access road. From there they took her to a road in Turkeyen, where she was murdered.
Singh, knowing fully well that the young woman was killed, drove himself and the other accused back to Mahdia, Inspector Anthony told the court.
Singh was remanded to prison by the magistrate who adjourned the case until May 18 for report. Also returning to court on May 18 is Clevaughn Hamilton, the father of Hackett’s child, who was charged with her murder on Friday last.
Hamilton, 37, of 96 Catherine, Mahaicony, was also arraigned at the Better Hope Community Centre, after police said he had confessed to killing Hackett and dumping her body.
In his alleged confession, he had reportedly admitted to luring Hackett to the UG access road by pretending he had sent money and gold for the son they shared. He also reportedly admitted that he had gone to the area in a taxi.
A bloodstained vehicle had been recovered in Mahdia and police had said that they were seeking the driver for questioning and Singh later turned himself in.
