(Trinidad Express) Former SM Jaleel vice-president Adil Aleem Mohammed has been convicted and placed on probation by a court in the United States for unlawful use of a two-way device.
Mohammed was arrested in Florida on August 6, 2022.
He initially faced ten charges of possessing child pornography images on his cellphone, pursuant to Florida statute.
These matters were discharged on Thursday before a Miami court.
Following a plea agreement, the charges were amended by the prosecution to unlawful use of two-way device. Mohammed was placed on five years’ probation.
As terms of his probation he is not to possess a firearm and commit any criminal offences.
He also has reporting conditions of once a month.
The matter was heard before Judge Daryl Trawick.
Mohammed, 48, was represented by attorney Mark Eiglarsh.
In a response to an e-mail from the Sunday Express yesterday, the defence attorney said he had argued before the court that his client was innocent of the initial ten charges of possession of child pornography images on his phone and also that at no time did he knowingly possess any images that were unlawful.
Eiglarsh said the prosecutor agreed and amended the charge to the unlawful use of a two-way device.
Back in September, it was demanded that media outlets which reported that Mohammed was arrested for molesting children, immediately issue a retraction.
According to the Fort-Lauderdale law firm, “A simple reading of his arrest affidavit makes clear that he’s not charged with molesting and/or coming into contact with any minor to engage in unlawful sexual acts.
“The false reporting by media outlets is especially troubling in light of the fact that Mr Mohammed is innocent and didn’t wilfully possess the disturbing images. As he informed investigators immediately after his arrest, and as supported by independent credible evidence, the images appeared in his camera roll through no fault of his own. They automatically downloaded onto his phone’s camera roll after Mr Mohammed visited various lawful adult websites on WhatsApp. Miami prosecutors are aware of the defence and are currently investigating.”
At his court appearance last year, Mohammed was placed on bond, pending the outcome of the matter.
The bond was discharged at the end of the case.
Responding to the Sunday Express on his thoughts on the outcome of the matter, Eiglarsh said he was thrilled.
“He was facing decades in prison for something he didn’t do. We are extremely grateful for the prosecutor for his professionalism and compassion for seeing this case for what it really was,” Eiglarsh said.
Mohammed, a married father of one from St Joseph Village, San Fernando, was employed at soft drink producer SM Jaleel in Otaheite, south Trinidad.
In a release last year following the charges, the company said that it engaged in dialogue with him, which led to Mohammed submitting his resignation.