SORT head still in custody

HEAD of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) Insp Mark Hernandez remained in police custody up to late last night.

Sources told Newsday investigators were seeking an audience with the Director of Public Prosecutions late on Sunday.

Hernandez was arrested early on Wednesday at his Arima home by the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) in connection with the deaths of Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris, two of the men who were suspected of kidnapping and murdering Andrea Bharatt in January.

He is being held at the Pinto police station, and participated in an ID parade on Saturday morning, after a similar exercise on Friday was unsuccessful.

Hernandez, who is facing possible charges of grievous bodily harm and perverting the course of justice, is a nominee for the post of Deputy Police Commissioner. His attorneys, late on Friday, were granted a writ of habeas corpus to compel the police to justify his continued detention. He is represented by a team of lawyers, including Wayne Sturge, Gerald Ramdeen, John Heath and Alexia Romero.

They are expected to produce Hernandez in court – which will be done virtually – on Monday. The return of the writ will be heard by Justice Betsy Ann Peterson.

Police are also expected to do the same for a woman police constable who is also in custody facing possible charges. Her writ, granted late on Saturday, will be heard by Justice Jacqueline Wilson, also on Monday.

Hernandez and the WPC were among a number of SORT officers and soldiers questioned about the deaths of Balcon and Morris.

There is a social media campaign seeking the release of the two SORT officers, under the heading Protect Our Soldiers.

Balcon and Morris were both arrested on January 30, the day after Bharatt, a clerk at the Arima Magistrates' Court, went missing.

Morris died two days after being arrested and Balcon eight days later. Both men were in hospital. Autopsies concluded they both died of blunt force trauma.

Bharatt's body was found on February 4 down a precipice in the Heights of Aripo.

One man, Negus George, has since been charged with her murder.