Couva man, son on gun-related charges denied bail

A 48-year-old man and his son, who is recovering from a gunshot wound, faced a Couva magistrate on Thursday, charged with gun-related offences.

Kern John Baptiste was charged with having a gun and ammunition. His son Runako John Baptiste, 21, of Lisas Boulevard, was charged with having a gun and ammunition and having the gun and ammunition to endanger lives.

Both faced magistrate Alexander Prince and were not called upon to plead, as the charges were laid indictably.

The magistrate denied bail and remanded them into custody. Before adjourning the case to December 21, the magistrate advised them of their right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail if they wished.

W/Cpl Kubir-Garcia prosecuted and attorney Ian Brooks represented the two accused men.

PC Morrison charged the son, and Cpl Baboolal charged the father.

The police contend that after responding to a report of a man with gunshot wounds who had sought medical attention at the Couva health facility on Tuesday, they launched an exercise. The injuries were not life-threatening, the police said.

Snr Supt Simon, ASP Ablacksingh, Sgt Persad and Cpl Baboolal supervised the exercise, which included PCs Khan and Dass of the Central Division Task Force Area South.

After speaking to the injured man, Baboolal, PC Terrance Morrison, and other police from the Central Division headed to his home.

On their way, they stopped the driver of a pickup van heading in the opposite direction for driving without his seatbelt. While PC Khan was issuing a fixed-penalty notice, the police found out he was the father of the injured man.

They searched the van and allegedly found a Glock 19 pistol with a magazine and 15 rounds of 9mm. The driver did not have a firearm user's licence. The police arrested him and took him to the Couva police station.

The police later searched the premises of the 21-year-old man and allegedly found a FEG pistol containing a magazine and six rounds of 9 mm ammunition.