A San Juan man has been ordered to keep the peace and fined $500, after pleading guilty to two out of three charges following an incident which occurred in downtown Port-of-Spain on February 19th.
An official police statement confirms that the accused RODNEY RONALD SAMPSON, appeared in a virtual hearing before Magistrate Indar Jagroo in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday 23 February 2021.
48-year-old Sampson, of Sou Sou Land Hill, Laventille Road, San Juan, will reappear before the court on March 23rd, 2021.
He was charged by WPC Batson of the Port-of-Spain City Police, with possession of a knife with intent to commit an indictable offence (namely to wound), possession of an apparatus, and violent language.
He pleaded guilty to the charges of possession of an apparatus and possession of a knife with intent to commit an indictable offence and was fined $500, placed on a $1,000 bond and was granted $3,000 own bail, respectively.
According to the Police Service statement, the charges arose from an incident which occurred at midday on February 19th during which Port-of-Spain City Police officers were alerted to a man, armed with a weapon, acting violently along Independence Square North.
When City Police Officers arrived at the scene, they observed a man armed with a knife, pointing it menacingly at another man while hurdling threats to kill him.
City Police Officers intervened, relieving the suspect of the weapon. He subsequently was restrained.
A further search of the suspect resulted in the police finding and seizing an apparatus specifically designed for using a dangerous drug—cocaine—in the man’s front pocket.
Following investigations, he was arrested and later charged with the offences.