No bail for SRP, guard
charged with attempting to
murder Venezuelan teen
Sascha Wilson
Bail has been denied to a Special Reserve Policeman (SRP) and a security guard, charged with the attempted rape and attempted murder an 18-year-old Venezuelan national.
SRP Akini Rodriguez, 26, of Dibi, Long Circular, St James, and Aaron Ramkissoon, 20, of Waterhole, Cocorite, appeared via video conference before San Fernando magistrate Kerianne Byer.
The men were not called upon to plead to the charges because the offences are strictly indictable.
However, court prosecutor Sgt Jesse Jitmansingh objected to bail because the victim is still warded at the San Fernando General Hospital.
He also cited the severity of the charges. The young woman suffered injuries to her lung and eye during the attack.
The victim, who lives in Siparia, had boarded a car she believed was a taxi on August 11 and asked to be taken to San Fernando.
Instead, she was stabbed and raped by the occupants.
Her attackers then threw her out of the car along the M2 Ring Road, Debe. She was assisted by passing motorists who contacted the police.
The following day Rodriguez was arrested along the Audrey Jeffers Freeway, Mucurapo while the second suspect was subsequently arrested at his home.
They were charged by Cpl Thompson of the South Western Division.
In his application for bail, Ramkissoon’s attorney Herbert Charles noted that he had no previous convictions or pending matters. Rodriguez did not have an attorney.
The prosecutor confirmed that the men did not have a criminal record.
The magistrate, however, remanded them into custody.
Before adjourning the matter to September 17, she advised them of their right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail.
Young driver chalks up demerit points, loses license
The Police Service is appealing to motorists to immediately cease and desist from using the Priority Bus Route (PBR), without the necessary authorisation from the Ministry of Works and Transport.
This appeal extends especially to young drivers and members of the protective services.
The TTPS, in a statement said 23 fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers for unauthorised
use of the Priority Bus Route on Thursday morning during a road exercise on the PBR in the St Joseph area.
Under Regulation 2 of the Highway Act Special Roads (traffic) Regulations Chapter 48:01, the offence carries a penalty of $2,000 and six demerit points.
During the exercise, conducted by the Traffic Branch Roadway Surveillance Unit, under the supervision of Inspector Charles, Sgt Phillip and Sgt Batson, officers stopped a young driver who only received his driving permit in January of this year.
However, the new electronic UTURN traffic enforcement system indicated that he had already received a warning for a PBR violation earlier in July and also received a traffic ticket later in July for improper overtaking on the left, which earned him three demerit points.
When added to the PBR ticket issued to him , the young driver had accumulated a total of
Demerit Points to nine points, two points over the maximum threshold of seven Demerit Points for a newly licensed driver, and will now be disqualified from diving for a period of one year.
According to Section 88M (1) amendment to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act Chapter 48:50, a newly licensed driver is defined as a driver’s permit or provisional permit holder issued within a period of 12 months and carries a disqualification period of one year.
TTPS seeks information on Venezuelan immigrant
A bulletin fro the Police Service has said that Venezuelan national Daniel Arcia Arvelaez is considered to be a risk to the safety of citizens of T&T.
A release from the TTPS said several direct visits to his stated addresses have been futile.
It said should anyone have information about his whereabouts they can communicate directly with acting ACP Wendell Williams at 237 3428, or any of the TTPS hotline contact numbers 999, 555 or report via the TTPS App or online via the TTPS website