Two of four men who appeared before an Arima magistrate charged under the new Anti-Gang Legislation Act may have benefited from an error after being granted bail.
Police officers said they were baffled after Magistrate Jo-Anne Connor granted bail to Kenson Williams and Kevon McIntyre although the new legislation now specifically states it is a non-bailable offence.
Mc Intyre, 26, Williams, 34, Renaldo Gomez, 31, all of Jitman Drive, Five Rivers, Arouca, and Avinash Suchit, 19, of Back Street, Cane Farm, Arouca, were the first four alleged gang members to be arrested and charged under the new anti-gang law.
The charges were laid by Sgt Durga of the Organised Crime and Intelligence Unit section of Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the four were charged for engaging in gang activity following instructions from the Director of Public Prosecution Roger Gaspard.
Gomez faces additional charges of being a gang leader, encouraging gang membership, retaliatory action, counselling a gang and preventing a gang member from leaving a gang.
Attorney Seana Baboolal represented Gomez and Suchit, attorney Adrian Thomas represented Mc Intyre and Williams was unrepresented.
When Connor read the charges to the four they were advised they would not be called upon to plead as the charges were laid indictably.
The court heard from prosecutor Sgt Valarie Leon-Lewis that all four men have matters pending in court and were fined for drug-related matters.
Connor then granted Williams and Mc Intyre $85,000 each surety bail, while Suchit and Gomez were denied bail and remanded into custody.
Attorneys Baboolal and Thomas requested disclosure on the charges and Sgt Durga was able to provide the information immediately. The matter was adjourned to December 11.