By Chantalé Fletcher
TWO senior police officers have been charged with Firearm Users Licence (FUL) fraud.
Assistant Superintendent Aaron Beddoe is jointly charged with Sgt David Swanson with one count of misbehaviour in public office to wit conspiring together with other persons by approving several variation letters to facilitate the purchase of firearm and/or ammunition without lawful authority.
Both officers were arrested on Tuesday and charged on Saturday with multiple misbehaviour in public office offences. Advice was sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, on Friday.
Beddoe was also charged with six counts of misbehaviour in public office to wit by approving variation of FUL without lawful authority. Swanson was also charged with nine counts of misbehaviour in public office to wit by approving variation FUL without lawful authority.
Beddoe, 56, of Riverside Road, Curepe, was last attached to the North-Central Division. Swanson, 45, of Oropune Gardens, Piarco, was last attached to the Firearms Permit Unit.
They were arrested during an exercise on Tuesday after enquires were conducted by the Financial Investigations Bureau (FIB) and Professional Standards Bureau (PSB), the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) stated in a release.
According to police reports, between February 2021 and April 2021, Beddoe, being the First Division Officer in charge of the Firearms Permit Unit, together with Swanson, who was acting in the capacity of an inspector of police at the Firearms Permit Unit, allegedly approved several variation approval letters and minutes for FULs without lawful authority. Investigations are still continuing as the team of officers are to again approach the DPP with respect to other offences, the release stated.
The exercise, conducted by the Financial Investigations Bureau (FIB) and Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) was coordinated and spearheaded by Senior Superintendent Wendell Lucas and Senior Superintendent Suzette Martin, supervised by Woman Inspector Mc Kenzie, acting Sgt Mohammed and Sgt Samuel, Cpl Pinder and acting Cpl Bissessar.
