Man tells court of kidnapping by Venezuelans

RODNEY Solomon said he went out to sea to fish a week before he was supposed to appear in court in 2015, but was kidnapped and held hostage in Venezuela.

Solomon, who told the court he is 38, said his brother paid his kidnappers US$5,000 for his release, more than seven months after he was taken. When he came back to Trinidad, he said, police framed him for possession of cocaine and he was jailed for two years.

He told magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine this morning he was recently released from prison and was arrested again over the weekend on a warrant for missing his court date.

He had been charged in March 2015 for possession of marijuana.

Solomon said he now wants to plead guilty to the marijuana possession.

He said he recently started a new job with an airconditioning company, whose uniform overalls he was wearing in court.

He got “real licks” on his head from his kidnappers, he said, could not remember the exact details of his abduction and subsequent release and had no contact details for any family members who could back up his story.

He said he lives in Palmyra Village, San Fernando. Antoine granted him $20,000 bail with a surety or a $10,000 cash deposit. She adjourned the matter until Friday and transferred it to the Sixth Court.

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"Man tells court of kidnapping by Venezuelans"

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