BAIL in the sum of $400,000 was granted to one of three people facing allegations of abuse against a domestic worker.
Labourer Rohit Sitahal appeared before the court yesterday accused of throwing a noxious substance, two charges of inflicting bodily harm, and two further charges.
He has been jointly charged with businesswoman Fareeda Balgobin and her son, Joshua Benny, for the offences laid by PC Lee Lum.
beaten, threatened with death: Sabita Basdeo
While Sitahal, 22, faced Master Kateisha Ambrose-Persadsingh virtually before the South A Court, the prosecution requested writs of habeaus corpus for Balgobin and Benny, who were not present.
The mother and son were taken into custody on April 11 and have been at the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre under preventive detention orders, which were signed on April 20 by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander.
In relation to Balgobin, the order alleged her involvement in an Informed Crime Group (ICG) operating in the Penal area.
She and Benny are being represented by attorneys Keron Ramkhalwhan and Shalini Sankar.
Sitahal was unrepresented during the matter.
It was outlined by police prosecutor Sgt Salazar that should bail be a consideration by the court, it should be in proportion to the seriousness of the offences. For throwing a noxious substance, a person can be imprisoned for life.
Ambrose-Persadsingh placed Sitahal on $400,000 bail, with the conditions that he has no communication either directly or indirectly with the alleged victim, keep 50 feet away from her, report to the Rio Claro Police Station twice a week, and reside at the address given.
The matter was adjourned to June 10 when following the request for the writs, Balgobin and Benny are expected to appear before the court, along with Sitahal.
According to police sources, 42-year-old Sabita Basdeo alleged that between September 2025 and April 2026, at a house in Penal, she was beaten, burnt and threatened with death if she attempted to escape.
