Seven police officers at the Gasparillo police were reportedly served with disciplinary notices yesterday, after the seizure of a cellphone and a quantity of cash from Selwyn "Robocop" Alexis. The Guardian understands that the notices were issued to the officers who were on duty at the station on Thursday when heavily-armed Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) officers, acting on a tip-off, conducted a search of Alexis' holding cell. It was there they found the contraband items. According to a source, an investigation has been launched into the incident.
A report was submitted to senior police officers in the Southern Division after the discovery. Alexis, 45, has been detained at the station since his arrest at a luxury apartment at One Woodbrook Place, Port-of-Spain, on Tuesday night. According to a reliable source, shortly before 10 am on Thursday, a party of CSU officers, led by Homicide investigator, Sgt Anderson Pariman, searched the cell where the alleged gang leader was being held and allegedly found a Nokia cellphone and a quantity of T&T and US currency. Alexis has since been moved to another cell and is being kept separate from other prisoners.
While the investigation has been launched, none of the officers on duty on Thursday have been interviewed. Alexis has been detained for questioning in connection with the murder of central resident Vincent Emmanuel Simmons. Simmons was shot and killed on October 7, 2008, in Enterprise, Chaguanas. His lawyer, Joseph Honore, visited the holding cell on Thursday. Alexis, however, has not been charged with any offence.