A 32-year-old man who the police say is mentally incapacitated was yesterday placed before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer the charge of malicious damage to property.
The allegation against Jai Sankar is that on January 17 at Georgetown he unlawfully and maliciously damaged three louvre panes valued $3,000, property of Francis Bristol.
Sankar who told the court that he works with his mother and resides at 147 Barr Street, Kitty denied the charge when it was read to him by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Police Corporal Venetta Pindar indicated to the court that the facts were “as charged” and no further details of what transpired on the day in question were given.
The virtual complainant (VC) was not present at court.
The acting chief magistrate then ordered that the accused be evaluated to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
Since no relative of the man was present at court when the matter was called yesterday morning, the case was stood down so that a phone call could be made to the man’s mother. He said she could be contacted and had been at court earlier but left because of work commitments.
When the matter was recalled in the afternoon, Sankar’s mother Mala Persaud was present. The woman confirmed to the court that her son suffers from mental ailments and is a patient of the Psychiatric Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The woman then gave the undertaking to furnish the court with the man’s relevant medical certificate, following the magistrate’s request. Persaud also promised to ensure that her son returns for his next court date on February 3.
The prosecution had no objection to the man being granted his pretrial liberty. Sankar was subsequently placed on $10,000 bail.
