Ex-teacher guilty of framing rifle assoc head

A FORMER schoolteacher will know on December 6 how many hours of community service she will be ordered to serve by a High Court judge for planting 40 rounds of ammunition on former president of the South Trinidad Rifle Association (STRA).

Christine Vashti Jokhan, 62, of Penal, pleaded guilty yesterday before Justice Althea Alexis-Windsor in the San Fernando High Court to doing an act ntended to pervert the course of public justice. William Bill Creteau was STRA’s president in 2004. Jokhan was charged along with deceased police inspector Hosain Ali, who was then treasurer/secretary of STRA.

State attorney Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal said that in December 2004, Creteau had accused Ali during an STRA meeting of misappropriating funds and reported the matter to the Fraud Squad. Subsequently, he received a phone call from a woman who identified herself as “Jenny Mohammed” who said she was looking for “a nice night out.”

Former coast guard member Lorenzo Chariandy got a phone call that same day from Ali, Dougdeen-Jaglal told the judge, who told him that he knew a senior member of the STRA was selling ammunition illegally.

Jokhan, posing as “Jenny Mohammed,” met Creteau in a room at Wanderers Hotel, Rousillac. Ali was seen in a vehicle parked outside, the state attorney said. Creteau noticed that Jokhan received text message and phone calls while in the room. She then left the room.

There was a knock on the door and Insp Chandrabhan Maharaj and ASP Totaram Dookie went in, searched and found 40 rounds of ammunition under a mattress.

Natasha Atwell, a room attendant, had seen Ali drive into the hotel grounds.

Subhas Panday asked Alexis-Windsor to take into consideration that Jokhan had no previous criminal record and taught at primary schools for 40 years. She is ill and the sole caregiver of a son who was crippled in a car accident.

Dougdeen-Jaglal suggested that community service would meet justice in the case.

The judge agreed but ordered a probation officer’s report.

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