One day after baby's birth, father in court on gun charges

THE father of a day-old baby appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate today for allegedly having a shotgun and three rounds of cartridges.

Jameel Razzaq, 20, a father of three, was among six men who appeared before magistrate Rehanna Hosein in the 4B courtroom on separate gun-related charges. The magistrate read the charge which alleged that on Tuesday he had the shotgun and cartridges at Richplain, Diego Martin.

Acting Cpl Benjamin laid the charges indictably and the prosecutor Insp Callister Charles did not make any recommendations on how to proceed with the matter so Razzaq was not called upon to plea.

Defence attorney Ronald J. Daniels in asking for “reasonable bail” said Razzaq, of Diego Martin, is the father of three children, the youngest being one-day-old. He has no previous convictions or pending matters.

In response to the bail application, the prosecutor asked the magistrate to consider the seriousness and prevalence of such offences when granting it. Hosein granted Razzaq $200, 000 bail to be approved by a clerk of the peace. He is to reappear in court on September 27. Police arrested him on Tuesday in a bushy area at Richplain during a crime exercise supervised by Sgt Ulric Arneaud and included other police from the Western Division Task Force.