(Trinidad Guardian) After spending almost 11 days on remand, Michael Carew, the long-time companion of former government minister Marlene McDonald was on Friday able to access bail.
Sources told Guardian Media that while Carew’s bailor was approved by officials at the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon, he was not immediately released as there was a delay in transferring the documents to the Port-of-Spain State Prison.
The process was completed yesterday morning and Carew was released around midday.
Carew was the last of the four men, charged alongside McDonald for corruption and money laundering, to access bail.
McDonald, Carew, Wayne Anthony, Victor McEachrane and Edgar Zephyrine are facing 49 charges over attempts to defraud the government by allegedly procuring funds Carew’s Calabar Foundation, under the guise that it was a charity.
McDonald, 61, is facing seven charges: two for conspiracy to defraud, four for misbehaviour in public office and one for money laundering. She was granted $2 million bail and only secured her freedom last Friday from the St Clair Medical Centre where she was receiving medical treatment after being charged last Sunday.
Carew, 72, was slapped with eight charges—three conspiracy to defraud and five money laundering. He was granted $500,000 bail.
