(Trinidad Guardian) Police sergeant Dane Sorzano who appeared in the Siparia Magistrates Court yesterday on rape charges was placed in the holding cell with other prisoners after the magistrate expressed concern that he was being shown favourable treatment. Sorzano, who is already on bail on a spearate rape charge against a minor in the San Fernando Magistrates Court, was denied bail by Senior Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh.
He last worked as a prosecutor in the San Fernando Magistrates Court. In court yesterday he was seated on a chair in the Siparia courtroom between the holding bay and the prosecutor’s desk waiting for his matter to be called. When his name was called, the magistrate inquired from the prosecutor why Sorzano was allowed to sit on the chair. Prosecutor Sgt Sheldon Ablacksingh told her Sorzano was a police officer.
Deonarinesingh said that was not the norm as female prisoners usually sit on those chairs. “Mr Sorzano being allowed to sit on the chair is not the norm. It appears to be favourable treatment.” She then read the three rape charges to Sorzano who has 18 years police service. All the offences allegedly took place in Fyzabad on October 24, 2010, October 25th, 2010 and December 5, 2014. The victim is 18-years-old.
Applying for bail, Sorzano’s attorney Tim Charriandy said Sorzano, of Hickling Village, Fyzabad, was the father of three children, owned a bar and had strong community ties. The attorney said Sorzano did not have any previous convictions, but had a pending matter for a similar offence. That offence allegedly took place in San Fernando on April 3, 2011 in San Fernando.
Prosecutor Ablacksingh objected to bail. Apart from allegedly committing the offences while on bail for a similar offence, the prosecutor said the charging officer Insp Anderson Parriman received threats via text message in relation to the matter. In refusing bail, the magistrate said she was concerned about the threats issued to the police complainant and that Sorzano was already on bail for a similar offence against a different victim.
Sorzano also claimed that his passport had expired and was destroyed in a flood. But the magistrate said she needed proof of that before considering bail. The prosecutor said the file has to be sent to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions for a state attorney to be appointed in the matter. Saying that Sorzano was concerned about the media printing inaccurate information because it could have irreparable damage to his career, Charriandy also asked the magistrate to issue a warning to the media.
Agreeing that improper reporting could have an adverse effect on the accused, the magistrate, however, said she trusted that the media knew their duty to report the news accurately and to comply with the law. She remanded Sorzano into custody to reappear on February 6.
