No bail for the man with 4 names

SENIOR Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim yesterday denied bail to an accused cocaine trafficker after hearing that he has four names, several identification cards, a passport, a driver’s permit, and other forms of identification which were considered by the prosecution to be bogus. But the magistrate advised Derek Perpignac of Bayside Towers, Cocorite, to apply to a judge in Chambers for bail. It was the fourth court appearance for Perpig-nac and his co-accused Lawrence Blake. Perpignac, 41, and Blake, 35, a tailor, appeared before Lee Kim in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistra-tes’ Court charged with possession of 4.2 kilos of cocaine along the Western Main Road, Cocorite, on October 20.

When the case was called yesterday, Dana Seetahal appeared for the State, while Gilbert Petersen SC joined the defence team of Ian Brooks and Maillard Howell. Seetahal objected to bail, saying that police seized 4.2 kilos of pure cocaine with a street value of $1.6 million. “This is a serious offence with a penalty of life if tried indictably. “This offence is prevalent in society and the accused could be considered a flight risk.” Seetahal said there was a likelihood that Perpignac would fail to surrender to custody if he is granted bail. She disclosed to a packed court that Perpig-nac has four different identities based on documents seized from him. Seetahal said Perpig-nac has three Trinidad and Tobago ID cards. 

She said the accused has a driver’s permit in the name of Derek Per-pignac which expires on October 3 2005, with his address being 17 Wind-surf Drive East, West-moorings-by-the-Sea. Seetahal pointed out that Perpignac has a TT passport which was issued on September 11 2002 in the name of Anthony Christopher Hills. The State prosecutor informed the court that Perpignac has two deed polls. In the first instan-ce, he changed his name from Derek Perpignac to Anthony Christopher Mauge in 1995. The second deed poll renounced Mauge to Anthony Christopher Hills in 2002. Seetahal then revealed that on June 1 this year, Perpignac sought and obtained a passport in the name of Derek Perpignac from the TT Mission in Caracas. The prosecutor said the police also seized four ID cards which appear to be bogus, based on information.