Police: No ballot boxes in police station

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

That is what police who were asked to search the Tunapuna Police Station for ballot boxes found, after a report was made that two ballot boxes were stolen with the help of police officers and hidden at the station during Monday's general election.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayson Forde, at the weekly police press briefing at Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, described the allegations as “rubbish,” but said police still investigated the matter as their mandate is to look into any and all allegations of criminal activity.

Forde said, upon getting the report, the police searched the entire Tunapuna Police Station and its surroundings.

“Guess what that search turned up – nothing, Nada, Zilch. No boxes were found,” Forde said.

He added that police spoke to the returning officer responsible for the area where the allegation was made and he assured that all ballot boxes were accounted for.

In a press conference on Thursday PNM Chairman Colm Imbert said UNC members alleged that police officers from Tunapuna and St Joseph assisted in the theft of two ballot boxes, which they hid in the police station.

Imbert asked the Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, to probe the allegation, but in a Facebook post, UNC candidate for St Joseph, Ahloy Hunt said he never lodged such a complaint.

Police are also probing another allegation of possible impropriety, after discarded polling cards were found on Wednesday at an abandoned lot on Mottley St, off Pinto Road, Arima.

Forde said a team of investigators was appointed to investigate the matter. So far, police interviewed the person who found the boxes and are engaging the attention of the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and TT Post.