A police constable has been freed of charges of causing the death of two men by dangerous driving because the police officer who charged him failed to attend court. PC Timmy Rampersad walked out of the Arima Magistrates’ Court a free man yesterday morning, after Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno ruled that the absence of the investigator, acting Sgt Latiss Khan, on the date scheduled for the start of the preliminary inquiry was unacceptable.
Cedeno’s decision reportedly left State prosecutors and members of the public in the court in shock due to the peculiar facts of the case, which included Rampersad’s occupation, the seriousness of the charges and because it was done before the inquiry had begun. Despite pleas from Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) George Busby for her to reconsider, Cedeno remained firm as she criticised Khan and prosecutors for failing to compel him to attend court.
Rampersad’s freedom is expected to be short-lived as the T&T Guardian understands that the charges will be refiled by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). According to the facts in the case, Rampersad was accused of being involved in an accident on May 5, 2012, which claimed the lives of Abel Wilson, 60, of La Resource Road, D’Abadie, and his employee Sherry Britto, 48, of Unity Ville, Darwill Gardens Extension, Arima.
Rampersad was driving a marked police pick up truck along the Priority Bus Route (PBR) when he collided with Wilson’s station wagon at the intersection with Olton Trace, Arima. Wilson died on the scene while Britto died at the Arima Health Facility. Rampersad suffered minor injuries.