Teenage kidnapper granted $100,000 bail

A teenager, who was among five people charged with the kidnapping of 14-year-old Brandon Sam for ransom, was granted $100,000 bail yesterday. The five appeared before Magistrate Deborah Quentin in the First Magistrates Court in Sangre Grande. The teen and 39-year-old Deokumar Lutchman are said to be known to Sam and, according to the police, falsely claimed they were kidnapped with Sam at about 8pm on August 23.

Also charged are Bissessar Arjoon, 52, a close relative of Sam; Ashraf Hosein, 28, of Lengua Village, Princes Town and Nicholas Jagessar, 28, of Kanhai Road, Barrackpore. Lutchman, Arjoon and Jagessar were granted bail in the sum of $200,000 while Hosein was granted bail in the sum of $250,000 Reports are that Sam and other family members were on a family hunting trip in Sangre Grande when he went missing. The mother of the teen allegedly got a phone call demanding $350,000, for his safe return. After a search was conducted by members of the Anti-kidnapping Unit, the two were found wandering along Scotts Road, Penal on August 24.

The matter has been adjourned until later this month.