DPP moves against cop in passport fraud case

Director of Public Prosecutions, Geoffrey Henderson, has called on acting Commissioner of Police, Trevor Paul, to take disciplinary action against a policeman who failed to show up in court on several occasions, resulting in an accused charged with passport fraud to be set free after no evidence was offered against him. The DPP’s  action came as a result of an order by the Court of Appeal for a report as to why PC Neil Bartholomew failed to show in court on several occasions to prove his case against Rishi Persad, who was the man charged with passport racketeering.

Arising out of the same matter, Bartholomew had also charged four Guyanese nationals, who on the advice of their lawyer had pleaded guilty. However, yesterday, the Court of Appeal comprising Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma and Justice Margot Warner, quashed the convictions against the Guyanese and ordered the fines of $25,000 each be refunded to them. The four Guyanese nationals, Bahgmati Mohammed, Sookrani Ramasar, Maywatie Hansraj and Jamwant Jaipersaud, were deported after their convictions, but had filed appeals before leaving.

Their appeals were argued by Rangee Dolsingh SC, instructed by Kulraj Kamta, while Ronnie Boodoosingh and Roger Ramgoolam represented the State. Dolsingh explained why the appellants could not be here and the court instructed the Registrar to write them on the result of their appeal and what arrangements they would want to make to collect their monies. Dolsingh had argued that the charge laid against the four was “bad.” In December 1998, the four appellants had gone to the home of Rishi Persad in San Fernando to try to get US visas. While waiting at Persad’s home, the police raided the house and they were arrested. Dolsingh contended that the four never had TT passports in their possession.