raphael.lall@guardian.co.tt
Acting Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob is using the case of two men who were charged in the fatal Pennywise heist and are now missing as an example of why bail legislation needs to be reformed in T&T.
“I sincerely ask that they reconsider the whole aspect of bail for violent crimes and for gun possession. They should wait 120 days before they are granted bail. I have said that the police are in a better possession to be able to go on within that time because since then we have upgraded our case management and case progression unit and we also brought back retired officers with experience in case management.
“This is a clear example of what we are talking about. Even with the bail being $3 million, they were able to get bail and then the condition that they report to the police station every day,” he told the Sunday Guardian.
Jacob has repeatedly called for the Government and Opposition to examine a revised Bail Bill. The initial bill was defeated in the Senate in July.
The Bail (Amendment Extension of Duration) Bill 2022 allowed courts to deny bail for 120 days to people charged with specific offences under laws pertaining to firearms, gangs, drugs, sexual offences, terrorism and trafficking in persons.
Amid the spiralling murder rate, a revised Bail Bill remains under consideration and is a work in progress.
Guardian Media confirmed this yesterday following acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob’s repeated calls for the Government and Opposition to examine a revised Bail Bill. The initial bill was defeated in the Senate in July.
According to police, the two suspects in the Pennywise case were held the day after the incident and subsequently charged with possession of two AR-15 rifles, three magazines, and 38 rounds of ammunition for the purpose of trafficking.
Without calling their names, Jacob said three persons were charged and two are missing but one is still reporting to the police station.
“Three persons were charged and were in prison. They were granted bail of $3 million each. By the time the police got advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge them, they got bail. It was on condition that they report to the Arouca station every day.
“One person had to report to Ste Madeleine Police station and has lived up to the requirements. The other two are from the Arouca area.
“However, I would not want to use the word ‘absconded.’ I am saying that they have failed to live up to the requirements of the deal where they had to report to the station.
“When the Police looked for them, they did not find them. They are still trying to locate these persons.”
Jacob said that there is a bulletin that has been sent out to all police stations and patrols to look out for these two men and a special team has been assigned to locate them.
Warrants in relation to murder and wounding charges were expected to be executed on them while they were still in custody at prison, having not yet posted the $3 million bail they were each placed on for the firearm-related offences. They however posted bail last week Wednesday, before the execution of the warrants.
Keemo McSween and Ishmael Salaam were due to reappear before a magistrate on December 6. They have been charged with the murders of security officers Jeffrey Peters and Jerry Stuart.