(Trinidad Express) – The police officer in whose home a quantity of courtroom exhibits was allegedly found has been granted $720,000 bail by a Justice of the Peace.
Sources said Ag Cpl Andre Barrow of Tacarigua, who has approximately 16 years service, was re-arrested at his home on Sunday. Barrow was once attached to the St Joseph Police Station and Western Division CID, and has been on continuous sick leave for the past two months.
The officer was charged in the presence of acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert and head of the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU), acting ASP John Martinez. He was expected to appear before an Arima magistrate yesterday to officially answer nine charges which have been slapped against him.
The charges stem from an alleged August 13 find which CIU officers made at his Tacarigua home and include misbehaviour in public office.
Because of the quantum of two exhibits, Barrow was granted $150,000 bail for two of the charges, while the remaining seven charges carry bail in the amount of $60,000 each. Sources say Barrow was unable to secure bail and as a result spent the night in custody. His attorney was expected to apply to have the amount reduced when the matter came up for hearing yesterday.
A quantity of narcotics used in previous cases dating back to 2004, which were completed, ordered destroyed by various magistrates and still stored in evidence bags and labelled accordingly, were allegedly found at Barrow’s home. The officer was arrested on August 13, but subsequently released the following day. At the time, Philbert told the media that investigations were ongoing in the matter.
