$70,000 bail for prison officer

PRISON officer Nigel Marshall, 45, who has 15 years’ service, was yesterday granted $70,000 bail to cover charges of misbehaviour in public office and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Marshall stood before Magistrate Aden Stroude in the 4A court at the Port of Spain Magistrates Court and was not called upon to plead.

He was charged by Sgt Vaughn Narcis of the Port of Spain CID, following advice from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul. Marshall was arrested on January 23, and will reappear in court on March 28.

Marshall’s arrest came after a lockdown of the Port of Spain prison by both police and prison officers during a systematic cell to cell search exercise. Lockers assigned to prison officers were also searched.

The exercise was led by Ag ACP Radcliffe Boxill and including officers of the Guard and Emergency Branch, Inter-Agency Task Force, Port of Spain CID and the Canine Branch.

During the exercise, contraband items including 35 packets of cigarettes, 69 packets of wrapping paper and one cellphone and charger, were discovered along with 660 grammes of marijuana.