“I hope they get locked up and never come out again.”
These were the words yesterday of Brandon Basdeo, the son of Sabita Basdeo, about the suspects who allegedly beat, tortured and kept his mother against her will at a house in Penal for seven months.
Basdeo, 42, a domestic worker, told police she was beaten, burnt, and her head was banged against a wall of the house.
A 38-year-old woman and her teenage son were arrested by police officers on Saturday and could face multiple charges, including false imprisonment.
domestic worker: Sabita Basdeo
Social activist and vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society Edward Moodie told the Express on Sunday that after he saw online videos circulating about the allegations, he raised an alarm with the authorities.
Moodie brought the footage of the allegations of torture and abuse to the attention Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro and the TTPS district senior superintendent.
On Saturday, Sabita was taken to the Barrackpore Police Station by the two suspects—a 38-year-old woman and her 17-year-old son.
Basdeo later identified them to the police as the suspects, and she was taken for medical treatment for bruises on her body and face, and other marks of discolouration.
The two suspects were arrested and detained at the police station.
Tearful reunion
Basdeo’s husband, Krishendeo Basdeo, and one of their two sons, Brandon, 17, sobbed yesterday as they told journalists that they are holding on to hope that justice will be served.
“We have to get justice,” said Krishendeo, 56, as he and Brandon sat at their home on Ramlal Road, off Platinite Trace in Barrackpore and spoke of the ordeal.
Brandon said he had been separated from his mother for years, and recounted that it was an emotional reunion for him and his mother when they finally reconnected over the weekend at the Barrackpore Police Station, where she had filed a report to the officers.
“The police picked me up and carried me to the station. As she saw me, she started to cry. She said it was a long time she did not see me,” said Brandon. “She hugged me. She asked for my brother. He was outside the station and didn’t get to come inside. Then they carried her to the hospital.”
Brandon expressed relief.
‘THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER’: Sabita Basdeo’s husband, Krishendeo Basdeo, right, and their son, Brandon, at their Ramlal Avenue, Barrackpore home, yesterday. —Photo: DEXTER PHILIP
“I feel better seeing she, knowing she will be out of there. I know nobody will be beating she, doing she nuttin. She will be better and making she self stronger now. I am glad for her,” the teenager said.
He said the family thought she was employed with the suspects “doing housework”.
He said he and his father had tried to meet Basdeo at the suspects’ house, but they were assaulted and chased away.
“Not knowing that she was being abused and people were taking advantage of her, not getting paid,” he said. “On two occasions, my father went there, and they beat him. Then about a month ago, I went there with a man to pick up some manure, and when (one of the suspects) saw me, (the suspect) hit me a slap on my back and run me out from the place. I left.
“We thought she was working as normal. Then we got to find out that she was being abused. We saw a video with her and that is how we got to know she was being abused, about a month ago.”
Investigators are continuing to gather evidence as they work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the disturbing allegations of torture and abuse.
Information from head of Corporate Communications of the TTPS ASP Joanne Archie yesterday via WhatsApp with the Express stated that the two suspects remained in police custody.
Archie said the charges were not yet determined as the victim was still being interviewed by investigators and officers of the Victims and Witness Support Unit.
