TWO women and a police officer will appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate after being charged with several offences including conspiracy to murder by attempting to inject the victim with a chemical.
PC Randolph Dandrade, who was last attached to the Matelot Police Station, Laura Roberts, 33, unemployed, of Cemetery Street, Sangre Grande and Chantel Lopez, 26, unemployed of Ephraim Street, Arima, were all charged with conspiracy to murder. Roberts and Lopez were charged with robbery with aggravation and malicious damage.
The decision to charge the three followed consultation with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC.
Police reported on Wednesday that the charges followed a report that around 8.30pm on August 5. The victim, a 38-year-old ambulance driver of Baboolal Trace, Sangre Chiquito, was at his home when he was visited by a woman with whom he was romantically involved some time ago. At the time she was in the company of another woman.
After a brief conversation, the victim agreed to convey the women to Sangre Grande in his vehicle valued at $40,000. Around 8.50 pm while at Adolphus Cox Circular, Sangre Grande, the victim stopped for the suspects to exit his vehicle, when one of the women held on to his jersey and leaned towards him. The other woman, who was in the rear seat, injected him with a needle with a liquid running down his neck emitting a chemical odour.
He became fearful for his life and exited his vehicle and ran. He managed to stop a Silver Nissan Tiida. The victim entered that vehicle in an effort to escape when one of the women again drove his vehicle towards the Tiida causing a collision and damage to both vehicles.
The women then escaped in his car. He was conveyed to the Sangre Grande Police Station where he made a report and was subsequently taken to the Sangre Grande Hospital where he was treated and later discharged. An all-points bulletin was circulated with respect to the victim’s vehicle which was later found completely burnt at Clarke Trace, Plum Road, Manzanilla. Both women were subsequently arrested.
Inquiries were spearheaded by Snr Supt Joseph Chandool and officers of the Sangre Grande CID with the assistance of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB). This led to the arrest of PC Randolph Dandrade, who is also the common-law husband of one of the women.
All the charges were laid by Cpl Guy of the Sangre Grande CID.
