$200,000 bail for family of five

A TOTAL of $200,000 in bail was granted to a family of five, including a grandmother and a pregnant woman, all of whom appeared before a San Fernando magistrate yesterday, charged with possession of ten rounds of 9 mm ammunition.

Brothers Keith and Wayne Achong, aged 32 and 28 respectively, their mother Grace Achong, 58, Keith’s six-month pregnant common-law wife Natasha Agard, 32, and Grace Achong’s 16-year-old nephew, all appeared before Senior Magistrate Ramraj Harripersad in the Second Court. The Achong brothers were granted $75,000 bail each, both women were granted $20,000 bail each, while the teen was placed on $10,000 bail. A woman, one of several family members who were in court yesterday, stood bail for the teen.   Appearing for the five defendants was attorney Subhas Panday.

Police allege that ten rounds of 9-mm calibre ammunition was found by a team of officers after they executed a search warrant at a house on the old Trainline, Victoria Village, San Fernando on Monday afternoon. The exercise was conducted by members of the San Fernando CID Robbery, Squad and Mon Repos police. In court, a livid Subhas Panday accused the police of  using violent means during the arrest. He said some of his clients, including the pregnant Agard and Grace Achong, were abused by the police during the search. Panday even went as far to say that the matter would be taken up with the Police Complaints Authority. Court Prosecutor Cpl Samaroo had objected to bail on the grounds that the Achong brothers each had two pending matters in court. However, Panday accused the police of “abusing the Bail Act. The record is misleading. There are no charges pending; this is an act of persecution by the police,” Panday charged.

Outside the court, some family members verbally accused the police of physically abusing their relatives during the police raid. The matter was subsequently adjourned to next Monday.