Fresh bail for Machel and Kernal

UPDATED:

Bail was yesterday set for multiple road march winner Machel Montano, who, along with songwriter Kernal Roberts, is to face a retrial for allegedly assaulting patrons during a brawl at the Zen nightclub in 2007.

Montano was not in court, or the country, in December, when appellate court judges Alice Yorke-Soo Hon and Mark Mohammed freed them of the assault charges and ordered the retrial in the public’s interest.

The judges yesterday set the new bail of $50,000 for each entertainer, with their mothers, Elizabeth Montano and Valerie Green, agreeing to supervise the two while they are out on bail.

In 2012, Montano and Roberts were convicted of assaulting several patrons during a brawl at the nightclub at the corner of Keate and Frederick Streets, Port of Spain, on April 26, 2007.

Montano was found guilty of assaulting Gerard Bowrin, Janelle Lee Chee, Brandis Browne and Russell Pollonais by Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor on December 10, 2012.

Roberts was found guilty of assaulting both Browne and Pollonais.

Two other performers, Joel “Zan” Feveck and Rodney “Benjai” LeBlanc, were found not guilty.

When convicted, Montano and Roberts were spared a possible jail sentence and instead ordered to compensate the victims of the attack as well as paying fines to the court. Montano was ordered to pay compensation totalling $13,500 and fines totalling $13,700. Roberts was ordered to pay compensation totalling $11,000 and fines totalling $13,000.

The judges also again refused a cost order asked for by Montano and Roberts’ lawyers, Jagdeo Singh and Keith Scotland. The prosecution was represented by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions George Busby.

Baboolal-Gafoor’s failure to provide her reasons for convicting the two led to the Appeal Court’s dismissal of the charges.