Misbehaviour charges against 2 cops dropped
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Two police officers, charged with misbehaviour in public office in 2014, had the corruption allegations against them dismissed.
- The charges stemmed from an alleged attempt to accept $15,000 from a man in exchange for not pursuing criminal proceedings against him.
- The case was discontinued after the complainant's death and prosecutors decided not to proceed, leading to the officers' discharge.
Corruption allegations against two police officers have been dismissed, ending a case that began in 2014. PCs Selvon Joseph and Samuel Gardiner were charged with misbehaviour in public office, accused of agreeing to accept $15,000 from an individual to drop criminal proceedings.
The incident allegedly occurred along the Chaguanas Main Road, with Kerry Rambaran identified as the complainant. However, the case faced significant setbacks, notably Rambaran's death while the proceedings were ongoing. The state had attempted to use a prior statement from Rambaran, but the defense attorneys questioned the continued pursuit of a case with a deceased key witness and significant age.
During a sufficiency hearing before High Court Master Nazeera Ali, prosecutors announced they would offer no evidence against Joseph and Gardiner. This decision effectively concluded the legal proceedings, leading to the officers' discharge. Attorneys for the officers welcomed the outcome, commending the prosecution's decision to discontinue the matters.
Originally published by Trinidad Express. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.