Policemen to stand trial for rape

They reappeared in court yesterday before Senior Magistrate Joanne Connor in the Chaguanas First Court, where she ruled there was sufficient evident for them to stand trial for the alleged offences.

The policemen have a combined 23 years’ service. Mitchell has eight years’ service while Worrell, 15 years.

The charges against the officers alleged that on March 30, 2013, at Connector Road in Chaguanas, both officers kidnapped and raped a woman. It is further alleged that on the same date and place they buggered and committed sexual assault on the woman.

The last two charges alleged that both officers misbehaved in public office.

The latter charges alleged that Mitchell and Worrell demanded $1,000 to forego a criminal charge against the woman’s boyfriend and they received $940 from the man to forego said charge. Sgt Deodath Seepersad of the Police Service’s Professional Standards Bureau laid the charges, all of which were indictable.

Therefore, the accused policemen were not called upon to plead in 2013 when they first appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate to answer the charges. The magistrate granted $250,000 bail each to be approved by the Clerk of Peace to cover the charges.

Attorney Joseph Honore represented Mitchell while Pamela Elder, SC, represented Worrell.