(Trinidad Guardian) Two Port-of-Spain residents who were arrested by police at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, and charged under the Anti-Gang Act were yesterday freed. Cedric “Burkie” Burke, 36, a contractor from Pioneer Drive, Sea Lots, and his driver, Keon “Baine” Bain, 31, of Third Street, Maraval, walked out of the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court after the charges against them were dismissed by Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Blake. Burke was charged under the Anti-Gang Act which was passed in Parliament on May 3, as a gang leader, while Bain was charged as a gang member.
The duo, described by authorities as “big fish,” was arrested on August 26 by officers of the Port-of-Spain CID and Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) led by Senior Supt Glenn Hackett and John Martinez while staying at the five-star hotel. They were charged by PC Noble Smith of the Port-of-Spain CID. After the charges were dropped against the two men, they both breathed an audible sigh of relief before exiting the court to a waiting vehicle. Their release came yesterday afternoon after police prosecutor Richard Taylor told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard came to the decision that there was insufficient evidence against the duo.
Taylor said: “After perusing the men’s files, the DPP said there was not enough evidence to mount criminal prosecutions against these men.” After the matter was dismissed, attorney Wayne Sturge thanked Taylor, Gaspard and the complainant, Smith, for expediting the matter to ensure the prompt release of his clients. The men were also represented by attorneys Kirk Hogan and Richard Clarke-Wills. Meanwhile, two groups of brothers were among seven men who were also freed of gang-related charges in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court.
Brothers Rodney, Marcus and Emmanuel Raymond, all of Port-of-Spain, were among five people charged with being members of a gang and were freed after Taylor expressed similar sentiments to Blake. Dave and Micky Babwah, of El Socorro Extension, San Juan, who were arrested and charged as members of a gang days after their father Basdeo “Dragon” Babwah was murdered, were also among those who were freed. Since the announcement of the ongoing state of emergency on August 21, 236 people have been charged under the Anti-Gang Act with 146 going free on the advice of the DPP due to a lack of evidence.
Last Friday, Gaspard expressed his intention to pursue prosecution against seven Sangre Grande residents who were charged as being members of the “Deportee Gang.” That matter has been the only one to be pursued by the DPP to date. That matter is currently before Senior Magistrate Anna Ryan in the Sangre Grande First Court and is expected to continue this Friday.
