A 35 year old man has appeared before a Master of the High Court, charged with the murder of PC Krishna Banahar, which occurred on November 6th, 2024.
Mwanza Joseph, aka ‘KIBWE,’ a proprietor, of St. Rose Street, Guapo Village, was charged with the offence when he appeared before Master Sarah De Silva, in the South ‘A’ Criminal Court, on Wednesday 13th November, 2024.
The Sufficiency Hearing date has been set for November 12th, 2025.
PC Banahar, 25, last attached to the South Western Division, was part of an exercise being conducted in the Guapo district, around 4:50am on Wednesday 6th November, 2024.
During the exercise, officers heard loud explosions and upon investigating, observed a man in possession of a firearm.
The officers identified themselves and approached the gunman who was allegedly pointing the firearm in the direction of PC Banahar, who was on the ground with another individual.
The officers ordered the gunman to drop the weapon, but he allegedly fired at them. The officers in keeping with the Use of Force Policy, fired in the direction of the suspect, who fled the scene.
PC Banahar and the other man, later identified as 45 year old Al Hakim Joseph, of the area, were taken to the Point Fortin District Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
One male suspect was arrested on November 6th, 2024, in connection with the matter.
Investigations were supervised by Supt. Steve Persad and included ASP Anil Maharaj and a team of homicide detectives of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations (HBI), Region Three.
Joseph, was charged by ASP Maharaj, on November 12th, 2024, following advice received from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, on that same date.