Cop on corruption charges

A police officer with 28 years’ service yesterday appeared before acting Deputy Chief Magistrate Nannette Forde-John on eight corruption charges Cpl Shiraz Ali has appeared in the Port of Spain Fifth Magistrates Court on four charges of corruptly receiving and four charges of corruptly soliciting sums totalling $46,000, to forego prosecuting four suspects accused of possession of firearms and ammunition.

Ali, of Real Street, San Juan, was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 and ordered to return to court on April 3. He was last assigned to the Maracas Bay Police Station and the offences are alleged to have occurred sometime between February 18 and March 1.

Ali was arrested on March 1 during a sting operation by the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) at Maracas Bay. A statement from the police service said on February 27, a relative of Ali’s made a report to the PSB. Ali is to report to the Fraud Squad on Mondays and Fridays between the hours of 7 am and 7pm. The charges against him were laid by PC Terry Moore of the PSB.