Exactly one week after 62-year-old La Horquetta resident Stephen Vialva was beaten to death in a scuffle outside his home, his roommate appeared in court yesterday charged with murder.
Michael Jones, 58, was not called upon to plead to the charge when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno in the Arima First Court.
Jones is accused of murdering Vialva in front of Vialva’s sister’s home at Aldwyn Roberts Crescent, La Horquetta, Arima, where he and Vialva shared a room. The two men, one armed with a knife and the other a hammer, were reportedly arguing over a woman. Before Jones was remanded into custody and the case adjourned, his lawyer Fareed Ali raised several issues which arose while his client was in police custody over the past week.
Ali claimed police refused to give Jones the medication he was prescribed for serious head injuries he sustained in the altercation. Ali also claimed investigators convinced Jones to give a statement before they contacted him (Ali) on Jones’ behalf. He also said he (Ali) was not allowed to have private meetings with his
client throughout his stay at the La Horquetta Police Station.
Cedeno chastised the police for failing to assist Jones in obtaining proper medical attention for his wounds and for denying Ali private access to his client. She also ordered that Jones be medically examined as soon as he was admitted to the Remand Yard facility at the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca. Jones will reappear in court on May 12.