2 cops charged for corrupt acts

Acting Supt Wayne Thongs, 55, and woman police constable Dana Spencer, 40, will appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate tomorrow.

Thongs, of the Western Division and who has over 35 years service, has been charged with committing several acts to pervert the course of justice, while Spencer is accused of misbehaviour in public office.

Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard gave instructions to charge the two officers, shortly before midnight last Friday, after he received and reviewed a report on the investigation of the alleged offences from head of the Fraud Squad Snr Supt Totaram Dookhie.

Last Thursday, Dookhie and a team of Fraud Squad officers detained Spencer at the Court and Process Branch in San Fernando, where she had been assigned, while, also on that day, the same team intercepted and arrested Thongs on the Foreshore, Cocorite as he was driving to the St James Police Station to attend a meeting.

Thongs was taken and placed in a cell at the Belmont Police Station while Spencer was detained at Woodbrook Police Station.

It is alleged that while they were both previously based at the Rapid Response Unit, Spencer presented duty slips to Thongs for work she had not done which he is accused of fraudulently signing.

The matter was referred to the Fraud Squad and investigations were carried out which led to their arrests.