(Trinidad Express) Two police officers have made their appearances in court after being charged for the murder of Central businessman Sachel Kungebeharry.
The officers – acting Cpl Ashraph Mohammed, 45, of Chin Road, Cunupia, and PC Jason Dan Michael, 34, of Charlie-ville – appeared virtually before Master Margaret Sookraj-Goswami yesterday charged with the capital offence.
They are also accused of misbehaving in public office when they, along with another person, allegedly kidnapped Kungebeharry, a 32-year-old used-car salesman, and demanded a ransom for his release.
The murder was alleged to have taken place sometime between September 24, and October 4.
Kungebeharry’s body was found in the Longdenville area on October 3, after his kidnappers made and received a $500,000 ransom demand.
Upon their appearance, the officers, who were represented by attorneys Shiva Boodoo and Roshni Balkaran, were not called upon to plead as the charges were laid indictably.
They were charged by acting Sgt Lawrence Joefield of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) and appeared from the Besson Street Police Station.
Questioned by the Master on the status of the case file, Joefield said so far, he has in his possession 32 sworn statements with another 15 outstanding from police officers involved in the investigation.
Once the outstanding statements are obtained within “the next week or two” the file will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) he stated.
Prior to the matter being adjourned, Boodoo said he wished to raise two issues he was hoping to get clarity on from Joefield.
The first is that when officers executed a search warrant at Mohammed’s home, “there were very specific items mentioned” but yet, the officers seized a cell phone belonging to Mohammed’s wife.
The other issue said Boodoo, was that a car was also seized from Michael’s home.
In response to his concerns, Joefield said the warrant allowed for the officers to seize all electronic devices from Mohammed’s home for analysis to determine whether there was anything of evidential value stored on them.
This included the cellphone belonging to the officer’s wife.
He explained that once nothing of evidential value is found on the device, it will be returned.
With regard to the car, Joefield stated that “samples” have already been taken and sent to the Forensic Science Centre for analysis.
Asked by Boodoo if the vehicle will soon be returned, the officer said this would depend on the outcome of the analysis of the samples.
Before remanding the officers into prison custody, the master proceeded to set a deadline of December 18, for the case file to be sent to the DPP’s Office for it to file the indictment no later than March 27, 2025.
The officers’ attorneys were also given until May 29, to file their defence.
A status hearing will take place on October 29, 2025, and a sufficiency hearing on November 7, 2025.
Kungebeharry, of Pierre Road, Felicity, was kidnapped on September 25, after a marked police car intercepted the car he was in at Endeavour Road Extension, Chaguanas.
He was taken away by two men dressed in what appeared to be police tactical uniforms, and a ransom demand was later made for his safe release.
The police car that was used in the kidnapping was also seized from the Caroni Police Station on October 1.
