Tunapuna businessman gets $65k bail on false statement charge

TUNAPUNA businessman Teddy Phillip has been granted $65,000 bail on charge of knowingly and wilfully making a false statement relating to a firearm user's licence (FUL) application.

Phillip appeared before Master Indira Chinebas on February 28, a day after his attorneys complained of the police's delay in taking him to court.

He was charged by acting Insp Matthew Haywood on February 27. He was arrested two days earlier at his home.

Phillip is represented by attorney Larry Boyer.

According to police reports, on August 28, 2021, a man was arrested for unrelated offences, which remain pending. During continued investigations, officers inspected a firearm file, along with various documents and statements.

Further inquiries led the police to additional documents, which, when compared with a provisional licence application, revealed conflicting age information.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) gave police instructions to formally charge Phillip.

On February 27, his attorneys complained of the delay in taking him to court, claiming they were told by the police's legal department the charging documents were unable to be uploaded on the Judiciary's online portal because of a cut-off time.

In a response to Newsday, the Judiciary said, “There is no cut-off time for filing charge cases.

"Charge cases are filed on the Judiciary’s eServices portal, which remains available 24/7 through internet-enabled devices.

"Each charge case filed is usually heard either on the same day or next working day. There are also provisions for matters deemed urgent.”

Newsday understands the cut-off time referred to scheduling of matters, not filing restrictions and time at which a charge matter is filed generally determines when it will be heard.

Charge matters filed by 1 pm on a weekday are heard the same day. Matters filed after 1 pm are scheduled for hearing on the next working day.

The filing time for same-day hearings was temporarily adjusted to 11 am from February 24 to facilitate a six-week training and

orientation program for Masters. This will continue to be in effect until April 7.