Army recruits on rape charge

They appeared before deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde- John in the Seventh Magistrates’ Court in Port-of-Spain. The five, who are in their early 20s, were remanded overnight to the Regiment barracks at Teteron, Chaguaramas until they access bail today.

They were also brought to the courthouse, without handcuffs, by a TT Regiment van and accompanied by several senior Regiment officers in court. The five were charged by Cpl Ricardo Nicome of the Carenage Police and will reappear in court on May 9. Officer cadets are persons chosen by the Defence Force to train at Teteron, and after a certain period, they graduate as soldiers.

It has been alleged that on October 29, a female officer cadet was with five male colleagues when they decided to take a swim at the Crows Nest Jetty at Teteron in Chaguaramas. According to reports, the victim was seated on a rock and shortly before 8 pm, she decided to return to the jetty to proceed to her quarters when she was raped by her colleagues, who allegedly took turns in committing the act.