Ex-cop convicted of gun, arms possession

Senior Magistrate Siumongal Ramsaran, presiding in the Rio Claro Magistrates’ court, sentenced the 32-year-old ex-policeman in which he ordered him to pay a fine of $12,000 each for possession of the gun and ammunition.

The police officer was charged during the limited State of Emergency imposed in certain parts of the country in 2011 by the former People’s Partnership government, to tackle certain issues of crime especially as it related to a plot to kill then Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The policeman was charged on Wednesday August, 24, 2011, at Cunapo Southern Main Road, Navet Village, Tabaquite, and the case came up before magistrate Ramsaran in the Rio Claro Magistrates’ court. The policeman pleaded not guilty to the charges. State Attorney Krishna Jaglal, led evidence from Corporal Narvin Maharaj, who testified that together with PC Rambhajan, they received certain information and sometime during the night, they boarded a Public Transport Service Corporation’s bus along the Cunapo Southern Main Road. They searched the bus and saw the suspended police officer seated.

Cpl Maharaj testified that they approached him and after questioning, searched a bag he was carrying and discovered a Ruger-made revolver which contained five of rounds.

State Attorney Jaglal led evidence from Maharaj as well as PC Rambhajan, who testified that they made records in the station diary of their discovery, the arrest, and when they had taken the police officer into the station.

The police officer who pleaded not guilty, denied the allegation and testified that the police complainant was part of a plan with other police officers, to set him up. State Attorney Jaglal yesterday submitted, however, that the evidence of the police officers were unshakeable and that their core testimony were unchallenged.

In giving his ruling yesterday, Magistrate Ramsaran upheld Jaglal’s submission and found the officer guilty. He fined him $12,000 for possession of the gun and $12,000 for possession of the ammunition. The sentences are to run concurrently.

He was ordered to pay $5,000 by the end of next week and the balance within three months or in default three years in jail.