After eight days in police custody, embattled Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald was released on Thursday and vowed to fight seven criminal charges which accused of stealing state funds for her personal gain.
“I will be vindicated, I will have my day in court,” said McDonald, 61, moments after she was discharged from the St Clair Medical Centre.
She had been taken to the private hospital on Monday by police after she was charged and remained there until her bail had been approved.
Her long-time companion, Michael Carew and another co-accused Wayne Anthony, have not been able to secure bail as yet and are incarcerated at the Port-of-Spain Prison. They are being kept away from other inmates on remand, according to prison officials.
Two other jointly charged with the former minister, Victor McEachrane and Edgar Zephyrine, the former chairman of the National Commission for Self-Help are out on bail.
McDonald was wheeled to a waiting SUV shortly before 3 pm with medical staff and police officers accompanying her.
The vehicle had been parked outside the emergency drop-off entrance of the facility, located on St Clair Avenue, from about noon. As media crews arrived, the vehicle drove off but remained parked nearby.
McDonald’s attorney Pamela Elder SC was seen in the lobby area of the hospital. McDonald was taken through the side door to the waiting vehicle. As she was leaving, she stopped to speak with reporters before heading to the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court to get the final approval of her $2 million bail bond.
Later in a telephone interview with Guardian Media, McDonald said she intends to return to work today and would be at her constituency office.
“I will continue to represent my constituents and come tomorrow I will be going to the Piccadilly Street office, where I will see several of them after lunch,” she said.
As for the criminal charges, McDonald said that the truth will come out.
“What don’t miss you, don’t pass you. I will have my day in court. Some of the charges I don’t have a problem with them but there are two sides to story,” said McDonald, who also expressed concern that some of her medical issues were being discussed publicly during the ordeal.
McDonald confirmed that her common-law husband was not able to secure bail for the fourth straight day.
McDonald, Carew, Edgar Zephyrine, Victor McEachrane and Wayne Anthony face 49 fraud-related charges related to government cheques which were paid out to the Calabar Foundation, Waterwheel Foundation and the Provident Foundation for Development from the Ministry of Community Development and Culture and subsequent withdrawals connected to those organisations between 2010 and 2017.
While McDonald was hospitalised, the four men stood before chief magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle on Monday while Elder stood for the Port of Spain South MP in her absence. They are due to re-appear in court on September 9.