Four charged for robbing Fr Harvey

The charges against the men, three from East Dry River in Port of Spain and the other from Gonzales, Belmont, were laid by Sgt Rennie Grant after they allegedly gave confession statements on Friday and Saturday.

No identification parades were held as the men who robbed Harvey wore masks.

On Friday afternoon, Harvey identified a watch which was taken from him. Also taken were a mobile phone and $1000. The cash and phone were not recovered.

The suspects are being kept in separate police stations in the Port of Spain division pending their expected court appearance tomorrow.

On Friday, police led by ASP Ajith Persad and Sgt Anthony Williams of the Port of Spain CID, went to East Dry River and Gonzales where they detained the men.

One of the men allegedly told the police that he and his accomplices had “robbed everybody already, so is time to rob God.” Harvey told Newsday that he was hoping to meet the men but was aware that he could not have any interaction with the detained men.

Last Monday, at about 5 am, Harvey was at the presbytery of the St Martin de Porres Church in Gonzales, where he spent the night to prepare for a seminar, when three men, one armed with a gun, accosted him and robbed him. They threatened to kidnap him for a $50,000 ransom. He was later hog-tied and gagged. The priest managed to free himself and alerted police.