‘Bird’ men on bail

TWO Penal men were granted $15,000 bail each yesterday by a Siparia magistrate before whom they appeared charged with possession of endangered and protected birds, while one had three addition charges relating to traffic offences, slapped against him.

Amar Seepersad, 31, and Robert Ramdass, 26, appeared before Magistrate Gloria Jasmath on the joint charge of possession of two protected birds, namely macaws, and possession of bullfinch birds and confining birds to an undersized cage (cruelty). Both pleaded not guilty to the charges and were subsequently granted $15,000 bail each, with a surety.

Ramdass, the driver of a car in which the birds were allegedly being transported, was slapped with three additional charges of failing to stop after an accident, failing to render aid to an accident victim and failing to report the accident to the authorities. Ramdass pleaded not guilty to these three charges and was granted own bail in the sum of $7,000. Cpl Trevor Joseph prosecuted in the case in which both accused men were ordered to return to court on November 19. Seepersad and Ramdass were charged following an alleged incident along the SS Erin Road on Tuesday, where a 17-year-old boy was knocked down while towing a bicycle at the side of the road.