Covid19 regulations charges against 26 dropped

TWENTY-six people held a year ago for breaching covid19 regulations at a private party in Valsayn have been discharged by a Tunapuna magistrate, as the police were unable to prosecute the matter.

The 26 were charged in May 2021 for breaching covid19 regulations after being arrested at a house at Real Spring.

On Friday, the group, represented by attorney Martin George, appeared before senior magistrate Wendy Dougdeen-Bally.

In submissions to the court, George complained about the length of time since charges were laid, leaving his clients yet to go on trial. He contended the charges against the 26 should be dismissed.

George also complained of a lack of disclosure of evidence to the defence and an admission by police prosecutors, last week, that the file could not be found and all they had was a pile of papers, not a file. While the lead prosecutor could not account for the file, the magistrate was told disclosure was made to one of the 26 defendants.

Dougdeen-Bally accepted the submissions of the defence and dismissed the charges against the group because the police were not ready to prosecute the case.