Landlord in court over blocking tenant’s window, cutting water supply

A landlord who allegedly blocked the windows of his tenant’s downstairs apartment with zinc sheets and cut off her water supply was yesterday reprimanded by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and granted self bail.

When the July 1 charges were read to Khrishna Baldeo in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, he denied having placed the zinc sheets there without the consent of his tenant, Racquel Paul, but admitted cutting off the water, telling the court he was forced to do so after the pipe broke.

“I woke up the morning and hear the pipe running and then it break up, so I lock off the main, informing her [the complainant] that when the place get bright I will go down town to buy fittings for it and she went to the police,” the landlord told the court.

After this explanation, the magistrate recorded a not-guilty plea.

Baldeo said further that the charge against him for blocking the windows was based on “false allegations”, as even when the police visited the house, there were no signs of zinc sheets about the window.

After no objection to bail was offered by Prosecutor Vernette Pindar, the magistrate reprimanded Baldeo and discharged the matter for the cutting of the water supply.

On the charge of blocking the windows without the tenant’s consent, Baldeo was placed on self bail and the matter is scheduled to continue on July 30.