One month after a man allegedly set his girlfriend afire after an argument, he was today charged with murder and remanded to prison.
The murder charge was instituted based on advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Twenty-five-year-old Wazim Perreira of Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was charged with attempted murder last month.
However, when the matter was called this morning in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers told the court that based on advice from the DPP, he will be unable to proceed with the attempted murder charge.
The Magistrate then withdrew the charge against Perreira and read a new charge to him.
Perreira was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on October 10, 2019, at Sophia, he murdered Olivia Defreitas.
According to information, around 13:00 hrs on the day in question, the defendant visited the woman and requested to talk to her. It was reported that the woman denied and Perreira went away.
However, he returned shortly after with a container containing gasoline which he threw on the woman and set her afire.
The victim’s screams brought the neighbours running to her rescue.
The woman was then rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where she was being treated for second-degree burns to her face, chest, abdomen, and back. She later succumbed to her injuries at the institution.
The Chief Magistrate remanded Perreira to prison until October 31.
