By Sue-Ann Wayow
TWO police constables have been charged with corruption and money laundering.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) in a release on Monday stated that PC Adrian Ward, 33, last attached to the Western Division and WPC Cheryl Gibson, 47, last attached to the Port-of-Spain Division, were charged with the offences following advice from Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard, SC, on Saturday.
They were charged jointly, with four counts of misbehaviour in Public Office for corruptly receiving an illegal firearm, receiving 15 rounds of ammunition and soliciting and receiving the sum of $30,000.
Ward and Gibson were charged by PC Bradley Marcellin of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) on Sunday.
Ward with charged one count of money laundering while Gibson was charged with two counts of money laundering.
Ward appeared before JP Abrahim Ali on Sunday and was granted $500,000 bail with surety and ordered to appear before the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, on September 13.
Gibson is expected appear in court on Monday.
A male victim reported to police that on August 8, he was at his Port-of-Spain workplace, when one female officer and two male officers in uniform, entered and conducted a search.
The officers allegedly found an illegal pistol loaded with a magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition in the man’s possession. He claims one of the male officers took possession of the firearm and then allegedly demanded the sum of $30,000 from him to forego charging him.
The victim who became fearful for his life handed over the sum to the officer. On that same date, the male officer handed the firearm and sum of money over to the female officer.
A report was made to the PSB about the incident on that same date and an investigation was launched.
Exercises in the Port-of-Spain and Western Divisions, spearheaded by W/Snr Supt Suzette Martin and supervised by Sup Montrichard and ASP Birch on August 9 resulted in the arrest of the two police officers.
