SORT head to be charged with misbehaviour

HEAD of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) Insp Mark Hernandez is to be charged with the offence of misbehaviour.

Just before 2 pm on Monday, police received instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge Hernandez.

At a hearing before Justice Betsy Ann Lambert-Peterson, attorney for the police Yohan Niles told the judge the process to charge Hernandez was under way.

Lambert-Peterson, in agreeing to a request by Hernandez’s lawyers, gave the Commissioner of Police until 4 pm to charge him, or release him.

Hernandez was at the Maloney police station and appeared before the judge virtually.

He was arrested early last 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 suspected of kidnapping and murdering Andrea Bharatt in January.

Hernandez, who has spent more than 106 hours in police custody, is a nominee for the post of Deputy Police Commissioner.

Late on Friday, his attorneys were granted a writ of habeas corpus to compel the police to justify his continued detention. He is represented by a team including Wayne Sturge, Gerald Ramdeen, John Heath, Lemuel Murphy and Alexia Romero.

Earlier on Monday, Justice Jacqueline Wilson ordered the police to release WPC Laura Gadar. She was released from the Maloney police station shortly afterwards.

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

Attorneys for both officers successfully petitioned the courts last Friday for writs of habeas corpus.

There is a social media campaign seeking the release of the two, under the heading Protect Our Soldiers, as well as a change.org petition which has since received 763 signatures.

The petition, started by someone named Kelly Sammy, which is directed to Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, called for the immediate release of the two.

“Why deny them their rights? Others have been freed! Is this justice or a witch hunt?

“Without the presence of SORT, criminals win. We need SORT! It is an elite independent team that handles crimes of national significance.

“The question is, who benefits when SORT operators are not at work? Only criminals ....not LAW ABIDING CITIZENS!” the petition reads.

Morris and Balcon were held by SORT hours apart on January 30 in connection with the kidnapping of court clerk Andrea Bharatt. , Morris died two days after they were arrested and Balcon eight days later.

Autopsies concluded that they both died from blunt force trauma. Their relatives believe police beat them to death.

Bharatt went missing on January 29 and her body was found down a precipice off Aripo Road on February 4.

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