Senior Magistrate Debra Quintyne yesterday ordered police to return the quantity of TT and US currency and a Toyota Hilux pick-up they seized during the arrest of attorney Sharma Boodram, son of deceased drug lord Dole Chadee.
This as Boodram, of Pascal Road, Piparo, who is also a farmer, reappeared before the Princes Town First Court on charges of gun and ammunition possession and possession of one gramme of marijuana yesterday.
Boodram's attorney Richard Valere had applied to have the items, as well as two cellphones, returned to his client if they are not being used as part of the prosecution's case.
He requested Quintyne make a formal order instructing the police to return TT$16,340 and US$1230, the pick-up and the cellphones seized from Boodram on January 19, when he was arrested along Atkin Street, Piparo.
Valere also made an application, under section 63 (1) of the Summary Court (Amendment) Act, for Quintyne to allow his client to proffer a formal admission that the firearm allegedly seized is in fact a firearm, so that the weapon would not need to go to the Forensic Science Centre for testing.
He said this would allow for the matter to go to trial.
Richardson did not object to the formal admission.
Quintyne accepted Valere's application and ordered that he put the admission in writing. She said that the law is available to attorneys to do the same and "it ought to be used more often."
However, she hastened to add that the admission would apply to the firearm only in the matter.
Prosecutor Sgt Roger Richardson did not object to returning the items, since he said it did not form part of the case against Boodram.
He said Boodram's relatives were free to come to the police and retrieve the items, as Boodram was yet to secure bail.