How a step-by-step account of her search highlights problems in Trinidad and Tobago’s justice and law enforcement system
By: Staff Writer
February 23, 2021
It’s been a little over one week since her funeral, Andrea Bharatt, the young lady found brutally murdered in a forested area in Trinidad and Tobago, after she went missing, a death that has sparked nationwide outcry for more to be done to stop the violence against women. Since then, Trinidadians have not let up the vigils in which they have started, and posters baring her face, along with placards carrying the names and images of other victims continue to be placed at locations across the country with candles burning beneath in remembrance of their violent ends.
And while many say had it not been for a cancelled Carnival season and COVID-19 protocols still in place, her murder may have just been added to the numbers.
But her horrific demise was the most recent in numerous killings, kidnappings and raping of women in Trinidad and Tobago, to rock the twin island state, shocking it to the core. Her horrendous death comes on the heels of another young lady snuffed out of this life, 18-year-old Ashanti Riley, who went missing November 2020, only to be found in a river bludgeoned to death five days later. Her only crime, taking an unregistered taxi from work to her Grandmother’s house in San Juan, Trinidad.
Similar to Ashanti, 23-year old Andrea Bharatt would be found seven days after she went missing, with her body located down a precipice in forested East Trinidad.
However, while the conversation has shifted in Trinidad and Tobago to a race related divide as to why her murder seems to be getting this much attention, the bigger picture must not be ignored, as it leaves us to question the twin island state’s justice system.
Andrea’s murder goes down in the history of Trinidad and Tobago to unearth more questions than answers, many to which its public may never come to find its truths.
It starts with her going missing on Friday January 29th, 2021, a young lady who finished her job and was simply trying to make her way home. She boarded what seemed like a registered taxi at around 5.50pm at King Street, Arima, together with her friend from the office, to make her way home along Arima Old Road, Trinidad. Sadly, she would never arrive home, where her father, Randolph Bharatt awaited her return.
Her father made calls to her phone only for it to be answered by someone at 7.30pm threatening to cut her ears off, if he does not send them money.
It would be 72 hours after when local police officers traced the call to several suspects, where one would later be revealed to be a serial rapist with over 70 charges against him, Joel Balcon, while the owner of the vehicle in which she was kidnapped, Andrew Morris, is said to also have several charges against him, having been released from a stint in prison recently. Personal belongings to Andrea would be found at these locations in Sangre Grande, confirming their involvement in her death, while two other suspects, Negus George and Giselle Hobson would be taken in for receiving stolen goods, including her phone while monies were withdrawn from her bank account.
The public revelation of this fact, that a person with over 70 charges of rape is allowed to walk freely in Trinidad gave cause for suspicion in the court of the public. Not only this, but one of his alleged victims’ sister was prompted to come forward 17 years after, stating Joel Balcon, the serial rapist, as being responsible for her sister’s demise. Balcon is said to have killed her after he accused her of giving birth to a child that ‘looked too fair to be his’, while his charges for her rape and murder would be dismissed. This public perception of him is further tainted when it is alleged that his family member may have ‘ranks’ within the Police Service, who is always able to secure bail for Balcon, allowing him to walk free. It is also revealed that Balcon is said to have several aliases, including Devon Charles.
But here is where it gets fishy. On February 3rd, police are said to be have beaten one of the suspects to the point where he needed to be placed in the hospital for treatment. Morris, the owner of the vehicle carrying Andrea, would later succumb to his injuries, with the police shrugging it off as him ‘simply falling off a chair and getting injured’. Morris was diabetic and had refused to eat since his capture. However, later autopsies would show he died as a result of internal injuries from assault.
And while the search for Andrea continued, GPS tracking analysis of the journey of one the suspects showed several stops with her still in their presence. This led to the areas Investigators focused their search, as probes revealed stops made at Windy Hill, Arouca for 70 minutes, while another stop was done in another Valencia district for a similar amount of time, and then to another location at Sangre Grande. Here officers said evidence suggested the hostage was not in the vehicle, justifying why their search continued at Windy Hill and another road in D’Abadie.
All this time, the search for Andrea extended the forested areas of eastern Trinidad, with local hunting associations banding forces with the Special Operation Response Team, SORT, in hopes of finding her alive. Rewards were placed for anyone giving credible information leading to her, with several local groups chipping in, until it reached a sizeable reward of $75,000.
Andrea’s body would be found on February 4th, six days after she went missing, by a scrap-iron dealer who claimed he saw a body down a 30-foot precipice. This too is perceived as ‘fishy’, and to why this so-called scrap iron dealer is not held for questioning, and as to how could someone see as far as 30-feet down a forested area.
But her find, would also mean the search had come to an end, with a father having come to terms with his greatest fears, and forced to identify the already decomposing remains of his only daughter. Randolph Bharatt’s story was shattering, as he had come to be known as the single father who took care of his only child, after his wife, her mother, had passed away eight years ago.
The story in which a nation had hoped for a good ending, like it has hoped for all its missing young ladies, resulted in heart break in which it just simply could not take anymore. Andrea’s kidnapping and murder raised the question ‘why’ for many, as the story did not fit the characteristics of your typical kidnapping as it played against all the rules.
She was an educated young lady, having recently completed her degree in Sociology, minoring in Criminology at the University of the West Indies. She travelled with an “h-car”, a car bearing registration for hire as a taxi, as opposed to using a privately-hired cars, privately owned vehicles plying the route for hire without registration for passengers. She did not travel alone, but was with a friend who dropped out prior to her stop, and did so during daylight hours.
Her story struck a chord with many Trinidadians as they identified with her case as it could have been anyone of us, our sisters, our mothers, our friends and neighbours.
The day after her body was discovered, her workplace, the Arima Magistrates Court shut down its services for the entire day, forcing cases scheduled to be adjourned to later dates.
One local newspaper would print an article alluding to a possible court link to Andrea’s death, shifting investigations from it being a “crime of opportunity to one well organized by a crime syndicate” resulting in her target for murder.
The unearthing of this revelation spoke true to many suspicions, However Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith would brandish the papers as a bronze-medal paper eager for headlines to sell, accusing them of lying and causing unnecessary stress among other court staff who had become fearful for their lives.
But it would be the death of main suspect, Joel Balcon, also killed at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago Police officers on February 8th, similar to his accomplice, Andrew Morris, following his attempted escape from the ICU at the hospital that would solidify the thought that this murder of a 23-year-old young lady was much more than a crime of passion, but something premeditated, and as much more than what meets the eye.
It is said that “dead men tell no tales”, meaning why would these two main suspects be killed? Why were they silenced by death?
This was the catalyst.
Immediately protests mounted, and vigils commenced before its House of Parliament, the Red House, located in its capital city of Port of Spain, night after night to make sure the message is sent to those holding office, that something be done to prevent more from dying this way.
Demanding change at the legislative level, where bail would not be granted for persons committing heinous crimes such as rape and murder, these vigils would spill over to towns and villages across Trinidad.
To add salt to the wounds of the family and the nation, the state-ordered autopsy would report the cause of death as inconclusive. This was perceived as another coverup within the justice system prompting members of Corporate Trinidad, including political activist, Inshan Ishmael, to come together to pay for second and third autopsies which would show she died from blunt force trauma to her head, which caused a fractured skull and internal hemorrhaging, while samples were taken to determine whether she was sexually assaulted among other things.
On the day of her funeral, over 500 local businesses took a stand to show their support to end such brutal killings, by shutting down and keeping their doors closed for the day. Many lined the streets dressed in pink, Andrea’s favourite colour, while even the rains fell forcing everyone to use an umbrella, something seen as a somber-sign from the heavens, as she owned umbrellas to match every outfit and had pictures to go with them too. Her body would make its final way to her father’s home, including a stop at her workplace, the Arima Magistrate’s Court, where her coworkers came out despite the court being closed for investigation on the day.
At the sametime, Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard, would give the orders to charge Negus George and Giselle Hobson with her murder, who earlier had been charged for receiving her stolen goods. Friday 11th would also see the Evidence Amendment Bill go before the house. Prior to this, the opposition was withholding its support for the passage of the Bail Bill, due to clauses it says did nothing to secure the safety of the people any more, as the loop holes in it would have allowed criminals to walk rather than ensure they return to court for trial, also making certain offences bailable. In what was seen as a change of heart on the day of her funeral, the entire house would vote in support of the bill, including votes in support from the Opposition.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says her party moved towards voting for the bill at the end of the day, “so the government could end its excuses and blame game on their total inaction to protect the citizens of our nation.” Persad- Bissessar said the ball was now in the government’s court to secure the people.
Andrea’s death also sparked the government’s announcement to legalize the use of pepper spray among women, a statement which also came a few months after Ashanti’s killing when Prime Minister Keith Rowley was asked whether it was an option, and he said no he did not see it making the difference if a crime was to be committed. Shortly after the statement its Attorney General, Faris Al Rawi would later state that permits would be required to gain access to this self-defense tool.
For the tiny twin island state, once known as the richest in the western hemisphere and Caribbean, continues to be overrun by criminals. In the aftermath of her death, several women have come forward on rape instances, including one who was able to put the name Joel Balcon to her perpetrator’s face that violated her repeatedly during her abduction and only to be dismissed by the local police as a fling. Taking matters into their own hands some have started to walk with knives in their purses, while earlier this week an incident was reported where as a passenger in a taxi, was forced to slash the face of a driver after he reportedly took her off route to a forested area.
Since her burial, her father, Randolph Bharatt has gone on record stating he will retire and no longer work to mind criminals behind bars. The final report on her autopsy will be handed over to him later this week, something Andrea’s dad says will deal him a major blow to know all what his daughter suffered in her final moments.