Four policemen attached to the Northern Division hid from media cameras after they appeared before a Port-of-Spain magistrate charged with misbehaviour in public office. After the matter ended, Sgt Lester Garcia, Cpl Sheldon Peterson and constables Dexter Edwards and Ronan Newton avoided the media and eventually used the court’s private entrances to escape being photographed.
Earlier, they appeared before Magistrate Christine Charles on three charges, each in connection with the theft of $525,000 from businessowners Danny and Yvonne Owu’s Bon Air Gardens, Arouca, apartment on September 17. Garcia, Edwards and Newton are attached to the La Horquetta Police Station while Peterson is attached to the Malabar station.
The court heard that three of them allegedly ransacked the apartment while the fourth waited in an SUV outside. The couple, who were not at home at the time, were contacted by a fellow resident at the building, after the men were seen leaving with loaded duffle bags. A report was then made to police, who traced the SUV’s licence plate to the Arouca station. The missing money, which the media was told initially tallied at $625,000, is yet to be recovered.
The men, who were each granted $800,000 station bail, were represented by attorneys Sophia Chote SC and Trevor Clarke. When they appeared before the magistrate, court prosecutor Sgt Callister Charles told her he was not objecting to them continuing on station bail as they were members of the Police Service and had no previous or pending matters. He added that the case file was sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the appointment of a State attorney.
The matter was adjourned to October 8 and transfered to the Arima Magistrates Court.