Four charged with kidnapping appear in court

AN incident occurred in Mayaro on Friday last when three employees working with the Canadian company Talisman Energy Incorporated were allegedly kidnapped.

The workers were transporting heavy equipment into a part of the Nariva Swamp where Talisman is conducting seismic survey for prospective drilling operations. On Friday, four men who are members of the Mayaro Unemployment Relief Organisation, were charged with three counts of kidnapping. They are: Robert Mc Intosh, 42, president of MUEO; Peter Marine, 29, secretary; Shaka Mentor, 28; Dillon Morale, 34. The four, of  Ortoire Village, appeared on Monday before Magistrate Indrani Cedeno in the Mayaro Magistrates’ court charged with kidnapping Rooplal Basdeosingh, Ranjit Kumar Basdeosingh and Kamalludin Hosein.

The accused men were arrested on Friday and charged by Cpl Totaram Dookie of the Mayaro Police Station. Attorney Margaret Rose who appeared for the men, applied for bail but the police objected on the ground that the accused men’s record had not been traced.  Rose told Magistrate Cedeno that under Section Six of the Bail Act, if sufficient time is not given for tracing, the presiding magistrate can adjourn hearing. Rose informed Magistrate Cedeno that the four accused men were arrested since Friday and four days was enough time for the police to conduct tracing and determination of the accused men’s character. The magistrate remanded the four in custody. They will re-appear this morning to answer the charge.