Suspect in wounding of TT singer charged with shooting at pregnant wife, sister-in-law
-freed after women decline to pursue case
Maverick De Abreu, the suspect in the recent wounding of Trinidadian soca singer Rodney “Benjai” Le Blanc in front of the Palm Court nightclub, was yesterday charged with shooting at his pregnant wife and sister-inlaw.
However, just days after a wanted bulletin was issued for him, De Abreu, 25, had the charges dismissed after the two women indicated that they would not be offering any evidence against him.
No charge was read against him for the alleged wounding of Le Blanc.
De Abreu yesterday stood in the courtroom of city magistrate Leron Daly, who read two charges which stated that on February 1st, at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, he discharged a loaded firearm at Tiffany Hubbard and Jamele Hubbard.
After the charges were read, De Abreu pleaded not guilty.
According to his attorney, Mark Waldron, De Abreu and Tiffany Hubbard share a common-law relationship and she is currently pregnant. He noted that there was an argument between them and it resulted in the present charges. But the attorney told the court that both complainants indicated that they no longer wished to go ahead with the charges.
His report was supported by prosecutor Bharat Mangru.
As a result of the complainants’ unwillingness to offer evidence against De Abreu, Magistrate Daly dismissed the charges and he was freed.
On Monday, the police issued a wanted bulletin for De Abreu, who they said was wanted for questioning in relation to inflicting grievous harm on Le Blanc on April 16th. The bulletin said he was also wanted for shooting at the Hubbards.
Stabroek News was told that the police were able to identify De Abreu after Le Blanc, through his attorney, provided a detailed statement recounting what transpired on the night he was injured.
His lawyer, Gideon McMaster, had also released the letter that he had written to the Commissioner of Police here, naming the two suspects who participated in the attack.
McMaster had said that on the morning of April 16th, after completing a performance at Palm Court, his client was assaulted by two persons. He said one suspect “threateningly pointed” a firearm towards Le Blanc and a group of persons he was standing with. McMaster said that this caused Le Blanc to “apprehend the fear of being shot.”
McMaster said that the other suspect hurled a glass object, which struck Le Blanc on his face with force, causing severe injuries.
The lawyer had further said that Le Blanc was rushed to the accident and emergency unit of Woodlands Hospital, where he subsequently received 25 stitches to the face.