No bail for two Jamaat teenagers

Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls acceded to an application by the prosecution to deny bail to Tahir Ali, 19, and Olugemia Abdul Basit, 18, of Old Train Line, Cunupia.

Mc Nicolls pointed out that if he gave bail to the two teenagers, they may abscond and fail to surrender to the authorities. He said it was likely that they would commit more offences while on bail.

However, the Chief Magistrate advised both teenagers of their right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail. This will be done on Friday, Newsday learnt.

Ali and Basit are charged jointly with Bakr for being in possession of a high-powered sniper rifle; 565 rounds of ammunition, and one hand grenade at the Jamaat’s Mucurapo compound last Thursday.

Last Friday, Mc Nicolls refused to give bail to Bakr and the two teenagers. The prosecution contended that the police had not carried out a tracing on the teenagers. The Chief Magistrate remanded them in custody to yesterday pending the tracing.

When the matter was called yesterday, however, special prosecutor Dana Seetahal objected to bail on the ground that the teenagers may fail to surrender if they are granted bail, and it was likely that they would commit more offences while on bail.

Seetahal admitted that both teenagers had nothing pending against them in the courts. But she said the 565 rounds of ammunition and a sniper rifle seized showed the seriousness of the charge. The special prosecutor said there was a prevalence of firearms in the country, adding that 60 percent of the crimes committed were caused by the use of firearms.

Seetahal said the penalty for firearm offences was 15 years in jail. She said both teenagers were members of the Jamaat, whose leader was also charged with the same offences.

She pointed out that Bakr led the 1990 attempted coup with the use of firearms, which resulted in the death of 26 citizens. She asked the court to take into consideration the teenagers’ association with Bakr.

Seetahal said other members of the Jamaat were convicted in the past of being in possession of firearms. One such person, she added, was Lance Small. Another she added, was Kevon Nurse, also called Kevon Benoit, who was convicted of murder with the use of a firearm.

Leon Gokool, who represented both teenagers, said his clients were not in the dormitory when the items were allegedly found. He said his clients were on the compound at Mucurapo Road.

"Not because these men were on the compound, does it mean they were part of the conspiracy to overthrow, or were present at the sermon which led to these proceedings," Gokool said.

He objected to Seetahal bringing up the attempted coup, saying his clients were just four and five years old at the time. "I want to know if the State is saying they were there."

Gokool asked that his clients be released on $250,000 bail with a condition that they report to the police twice a week and surrender their passports if they had any.

But Gokool failed to convince Mc Nicolls who turned down the request for bail. Both teenagers were remanded in custody to re-appear in court on Thursday with Bakr.