SEVEN police officers have been charged with multiple offences including corruptly acquiring money for themselves.
The officers were charged on Tuesday and are expected to appear at the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court, to answer the charges.
A release from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) stated that charges were laid after officers of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) conducted investigations into a social media video, which allegedly showed police officers seizing cash at a Sangre Grande business place in the Eastern Division.
The officers were arrested on Monday, then an audience was held with Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC who advised that charges be laid.
The officers charged are: Insp Dayal Ramlakhan, Ag Cpl Shaheed Khan, PC Davanan Ragbir, PC Macai Joseph, SRP Cleon Smith, SRP Rayon Charles and PC Jason O’Souna.
The charges are as follows:
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Ramlakhan, Khan and Ragbir, be jointly charged with the offence of Misbehaviour in Public Office to wit: Corruptly appropriating for themselves the sum of $27,693, which was seized as an exhibit during an exercise.
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Ramlakhan, Joseph and Smith, be jointly charged with the offence of Misbehaviour in Public Office to wit: Corruptly appropriating for themselves the sum of $12,297, which was seized as an exhibit during an exercise.
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Joseph and Smith be jointly charged for the offence of Conspiring Together to Pervert the Course of Public Justice by Knowingly and Wilfully Making False Written Statements to implicate a victim in a criminal investigation involving the operation of an illegal gaming house.
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Ramlakhan, Ragbir, Smith and Charles be charged for the offence of Misbehaviour in Public Office to wit: Corruptly Appropriating for themselves the sum of $38,500, which was seized as an exhibit during an exercise.
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Ragbir and Smith be jointly charged with the offence of Conspiring Together to Pervert the course of Public Justice by Knowingly and Wilfully making false written statements to implicate a victim in a criminal investigation involving the operation of an illegal gaming house.
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Ramlakhan, O’Souna and Smith be charged for the offence Misbehaviour in Public Office to wit: Corruptly appropriating for themselves the sum of $11,339, which was seized as an exhibit during an exercise.
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Smith be charged for the offence of Perverting the Course of Public Justice by knowingly and wilfully making false written statements to implicate a victim in a criminal investigation involving the operation of an illegal gaming house.
Ramlakhan and Smith were both charged previously with Misbehaviour in Public Office, and were each granted bail in the sum of $250,000, with a surety, after they appeared before Magistrate Cheron Raphael at the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court on April 20.
Investigations were spearheaded by Woman Senior Superintendent Suzette Martin, supervised by Superintendent Montrichard and included ASP Birch, Insp Guy and Ag Cpl Joefield.
