No bail for cop on rape, kidnapping charges

A MAGISTRATE in Rio Claro on Wednesday denied bail to a special reserve police officer (SRP) on charges of raping and kidnapping a Venezuelan woman.

Akeem James, 28, of Princes Town, was under investigation by the Professional Standard Bureau (PSB) for the alleged incident in November last year involving the 29-year-old Venezuelan. James, who has seven years service in the TT Police Service (TTPS), was arrested on Tuesday at his home on Fairfield Road by a party of officers headed by PSB's head ASP Totaram Dookie.

At about 1.30 pm yesterday, James was taken before magistrate Wendy Dougdeen-Bally because cases from the Princes Town magistrates' court are being heard in Rio Claro due to structural damage to the former building. She read the charge to him that between November 23, 2018 and November 24, 2018, at Princes Town, he had sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent. The second charge alleged that during the same period he committed an act of serious sexual assault on her.

Dougdeen-Bally read a third charge that on November 23, 2018, James took the woman against her will.

Police prosecutor Sgt Gary Santlal objected to bail on the ground that James allegedly committed the acts while on bail on a pending charge of taking another person against their will. That case is being heard in the Port of Spain magistrates' court for which he is on $200,000 bail.

Attorney Trevour Clarke represented the PSB but Dougdeen-Bally told him that she could not, except for the prosecution, recognise the PSB as having any locus in the case. The charge was laid by Woman Corporal Dane-Marie Marshall.

Attorney Dane Hall, however, pleaded on James' behalf that the accused had been attending his case in the Port of Spain courthouse religiously and though currently on suspension from the TTPS, is gainfully employed. He made heavy weather of the police failure to provide a summary of the evidence, yet contending that the victim's life was at risk.

Dougdeen-Bally called on prosecutor Santlal to ensure that the file reached the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for appointment of an attorney and the summary be provided to Hall within the next 14 days. She refused bail and advised James to seek it before a High Court judge. He will reappear on July 10.