Magistrate orders women to produce grocery receipts

TWO women from Valencia and another from Arima have until Monday to produce receipts for groceries found in their car in Debe, south Trinidad, on Thursday.

If they were victims of the recent floods, they may escape senior magistrate Cherril-Ann Antoine's sentence, since that would justify why they had groceries in the back seat, as well as in the trunk of their car, for which they could not account.

Kimberly Percel of Arima and Amina Boisselle and Jenifer Garcia of Valencia were arrested and charged by PC Shiva Roopchan, on the ground that he had reasonable cause to suspect they stole or unlawfully obtained numerous groceries.

They included laundry detergent, jam, coffee, ghee, rice, soap, toothpaste, peanut butter, dishwashing liquid, insect-repellent mats, bottled water and talcum powder.

Roopchan gave evidence that acting on information, he and another police officer went to GN Supermarket in Debe, where they had cause to block a car. Percel, Boisselle and Garcia were in it. Roopchan testified that grocery items were scattered over the back seat, and, when he checked the trunk, there were more in garbage bags. The women did not produce the receipt he asked for.

"Did you ask them if they were victims of the recent floods?" Antoine asked. He said he did not.

The women disputed Roopchan's version of events, Percel saying they were never asked if they had receipts, but added that by now they might have discarded them.

Antoine postponed the hearing to Monday and asked the three to produce the receipts. Perhaps they could go back to the grocery, the magistrate suggested, and explain their predicament, "And I'm sure they will be facilitated."