Lawman in court today on scrap iron charge

The police officer arrested for allegedly selling scrap iron belonging to the Police Service to the owners of a Beetham scrap yard has been charged and will appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate today. The 28-year-old officer, of Tumpuna Road, Arima, is to be charged with misconduct in public office.

The instruction to charge was delivered by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Roger Gaspard, yesterday afternoon to Snr Supt Wayne Boyd, ASP Ajith Persad and Sgt Andrew John. John, of the Besson Street CID, laid the charge. The officer was arrested on Monday night, after being detained in connection with the items that allegedly had been sold to a Beetham scrap iron dealer on Sunday.

The former Special Reserve Police officer was held following investigations that 280 no parking signs and three police barricades had disappeared from the Old Traffic Branch, Sea Lots, on Sunday. The  old and rusted items were stored at the facility for the past several years. It is alleged that on July 1, the officer allowed the scrap iron dealer, his son and another man to enter the police compound and remove the scrap iron.

Officers reporting for duty on Monday observed the items missing and filed a report at the Besson Street Police Station. The T&T Guardian learned during an identification parade on Tuesday at the Central Police Station, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, the officer was identified by several people. Senior police officials on Tuesday also denied any police vehicles were used in the transportation of the scrap iron from the police compound to the Beetham scrap iron yard.