$250,000 bail for Sangre Grande cops charged with misbehaviour

TWO police officers assigned to the Eastern Division were each granted $250,000 bail on Thursday after being charged with misbehaviour in office.

The officers, PC Cleon Smith and Insp Deyal Ramlakhan were charged with corruptly receiving $12,297, which was part of monies seized by police.

It is alleged that on March 9, the two seized $31,338 from a bar as part of an investigation into illegal gambling. The officers are alleged to have kept for themselves the money and placed in evidence $19,041.

The two were part of nine officers who were arrested by members of the Professional Standards Bureau on March 14.

The other seven were released without charge.

Both officers appeared before senior magistrate Cheron Raphael and will re-appear in court on September 26.

The nine officers were held as part of an investigation into allegations of extortion made by businessmen in the Eastern Division.

Smith was represented by Seana Baboolal and Adrian Thompson while Ramlakhan was represented by Pamela Elder SC and Russell Warner.