Questions have been raised over how two policemen accused of a combined total of 12 criminal charges, including bribery and grievous sexual assault, were released on bail before appearing in court.
Magistrate Gail Gonzales raised the issue yesterday as PC Adrian Jack and Special Reserve Police (SRP) Omari Gonsales appeared before her in the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court to answer the charges.
“I am shocked that bail was granted at the station. I am very concerned by this because these are very serious allegations,” Gonzales said as she revoked the duo’s $300,000 bail bonds, which were granted by a justice of the peace shortly after they were charged by detectives of the Professional Standards Bureau on Thursday night.
She then granted Jack and Gonsales $500,000 and $300,000 bail, respectively.
Gonzales’ decision meant that the officers’ relatives were forced to scramble to obtain the documents required to secure bail for a second time yesterday. And although they were able to do so by yesterday afternoon, the T&T Guardian understands that they were unsuccessful in obtaining approval from a clerk of the peace at the St Vincent Street courthouse. As a result, the two policemen will be forced to spend the weekend at the Port-of-Spain State Prison.
It was also a difficult day for media personnel covering the case yesterday, as Gonzales cleared the court of all members of the public except for the policemen’s families before she read the charges—a process sometimes followed in cases of sexual offences to protect the identity of the victim.
The policemen also received the sympathy of their colleagues, who formed a human barricade to block photographers, cameramen and curious onlookers from catching a glimpse of them as they were being transferred out of the court.
Jack and Gonsales will reappear in court on April 9.
Jack, of Curepe, and Gonsales, of Laventille, are facing a total of 12 criminal charges arising out of an incident involving a female suspect which occurred last month.
Both officers are jointly charged with kidnapping the woman, falsely imprisoning her and corruptly accepting $1,800 and $3,000 from her as a reward for not prosecuting her for marijuana possession. Jack is facing four additional charges for perverting the course of justice by dishonestly attempting to manipulate the outcome of an investigation, for soliciting a bribe from the victim and for committing indecent and grievous sexual assault on her.
All the charges arose out of an incident on February 25 which started with the woman’s arrest during a road block exercise at Saddle Road, Maraval. The sexual assaults allegedly took place later in a police car along North Coast Road, Maracas.
The officers, who were last assigned to the Maraval and Four Roads Police Stations, will be suspended by the T&T Police Service until their case is determined.