Pollonais kidnapping: 2nd cop, businessman denied bail

A SECOND cop, together with a self-proclaimed contractor, were also denied bail like their two co-accused on Wednesday in the kidnapping of Natalie Pollonais.

PC Ian Dwarika, 45, who was attached to the La Romaine Police Post; and Shain Steven, 37, of Inverness Road, Princes Town, appeared before senior magistrate Cherril-Ann Antoine, in the San Fernando Magistrates' court at about 1.30 pm today.

On Wednesday, PC Shaundell Euin, 24, and Gregory James, of La Brea, were also denied bail by the magistrate.

Against Dwarika and Steven, Antoine read a charge that together with two other people, at SS Erin Road, near San Fernando, on September 6, they unlawfully seized Pollonais without her consent or without lawful excuse, such that she was prevented from returning to her normal place of abode.

A second charge was read to Steven separately, that at a place unknown, he pursued a ransom by negotiations for the release of Pollonais. The charges were laid in acordance with the Kidnapping Act and the magistrate told both men they could not plea because the charges are of an indictable nature. The men were represented by attorneys Shiva Boodoo, Indira Binda and Shodan Mahabir Jr.

Boodoo submitted that the accused were entitled to bail by virtue of the fact that a 2008 amendment to the Bail Act which denied bail to people charged with kidnapping for ransom, had a sunset clause for five years. With the life of the Act having expired, Boodoo told Antoine that according to his research, there has been no extension of the sunset clause. He said that Dwarika has been a police officer for the past 15 years.

Antoine, however, ruled that based on the Anti-Gang Act, one of the offences reveals that more than two people coming together to kidnap a person for ransom, cannot access bail. In that light, she said, the court must view the offence of kidnapping seriously and bail should therefore be refused.

Antoine remanded both men into custody to reappear along with Euin and James, on October 13.