Cop charged with stealing holsters, bulletproof vests

A police constable with a year’s service was granted $50,000 bail yesterday when he appeared before a Couva magistrate charged with stealing three holsters and two bulletproof vests from the Couva Police Station.

PC Marlon Baptiste, 22, of Remy Trace, Penal Rock Road, Penal had been in custody up until Thursday night, when he was granted bail by a justice of the peace.

Magistrate Siumongal Ramsaran allowed that bail to stand yesterday when Baptiste appeared before him.

The first charge read to Baptiste was that on a date unknown, between January 1 and January 31, he stole three Sig Sauer holsters valued $675 from the Couva Police Station. Baptiste pleaded not guilty. The second charge was that sometime between December 2016 and February 2017 he stole one bulletproof vest valued $5,000. The third was that between November 2017 and January 2018, he stole a bulletproof vest valued $5,000. Those two charges were laid indictably and he was not called upon to plead.

The charges were laid by Insp Rudolph Bhagwandeen on Thursday. A release from the police yesterday said Baptiste was arrested on Monday after Princes Town CID officers stopped a vehicle he was in on Ramlal Trace, Barrackpore. The bulletproof vests were allegedly found in a black bag in Baptiste’s possession. During a search of his home, police allegedly found the three holsters. Baptiste was represented by attorney Khaliffa Pahalwan yesterday.

Ramsaran questioned the bail that Baptiste had been granted and stood the matter down as he asked for the bailor to be present in court. When the matter was called again around 2pm, the man who had stood Baptiste’s bail came before the court and was questioned by Ramsaran.

Ramsaran then remanded Baptiste on continuing bail of $50,000 representing $20,000 on the first charge, $20,000 on the second charge and $10,000 on the third charge.

Prosecutor Sgt Lincoln Bonnett asked that the description of the vests and holsters be entered into evidence and the items then be returned to the Couva Police, as he said police needed them.

However, Ramsaran denied that request, saying they would be held until the matter is completed. He said the Ministry of National Security received an $11 billion allocation in the last budget and if the station needs the items so badly, then the police are in big trouble. He adjourned the matter to April 3.