Vicky Boodram gets own bail on escaping custody charge

Former travel agent Vicky Boodram has been granted her own bail by the High Court in San Fernando, despite objections by the prosecution.

Master Rehanna Hosein granted Boodram her own bail on October 7.

Boodram, also known as Victoria Samlalsingh, who renewed her application for bail, was also ordered to report to the Siparia police station every Wednesday, keep a record of her attendance and apply to the court for any new travel documents. She also cannot leave TT without the court's permission.

At the bail hearing, her attorneys Stephen Wilson and Janeil Chuck, of the Public Defenders Department, argued that Boodram had already served more time in custody than the maximum sentence allowed for the charge of escaping lawful custody.

Boodram was arrested on November 30, 2017, three days after she allegedly escaped from the Golden Grove Women’s Prison in Arouca. She was denied bail upon arrest but was later granted bail of $40,000 with a surety on March 10, 2021, by then-senior magistrate Brambhanan Dubay. She remained in custody as she also had over 100 pending fraud charges against her. Those charges were dismissed on September 19, after prosecutors missed three deadlines to file witness statements and other evidence.

The state admitted it would be unfair to continue proceedings against Boodram under the circumstances, but noted the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) may reinstate the matter if the procedural failures were resolved. Wilson had applied for Boodram’s discharge, and Master Lisa Singh-Phillip granted the request under section 5.9(5) of the Criminal Procedure Rules, 2023.

Boodram’s attorneys then sought to have her bail varied to own bail, because of the length of her pretrial detention and repeated delays by the state in complying with court disclosure orders.

According to Boodram’s bail application, the state was ordered to file the indictment and all witness statements by February 3, but the State did not comply. Instead, the indictment for the common law offence of escaping lawful custody was filed on May 5, more than three months after the court’s deadline. Despite multiple extensions, full disclosure of witness statements was only partially completed by September 30, when 37 statements were disclosed to the defence.

The prosecution later sought an additional extension until October 10, because of difficulties in locating witnesses. Substitute complainant acting Sgt Lawrence Joefield, in a supporting affidavit, said “it was very difficult to meet the state’s deadline to submit the said statements,” due to the “stringent demands” of the TT Police Service.

Boodram’s public defenders argued that her nearly eight years in pretrial custody already exceeds the maximum sentence of five years that may be imposed under Section 4(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, Chapter 11:01.

They further said Boodram, 43, has no previous convictions, maintains a fixed address in Siparia, and has a degree in business administration from the University of Sunderland and a master’s in marketing from Heriot-Watt University in London.

In her application, Boodram insists she poses no flight risk and has “always diligently and attentively attended” court proceedings and understands the importance of doing so. Her attorneys said her continued incarceration “serves no lawful purpose” and that, even if convicted, she would be credited for time already served under established case law.

A sufficiency hearing was set for December 12, with the court warning there would be no further extensions. An application was also made for an arrest warrant for d, police officer Levon Sylvester, who, along with PC Lisa Navarro are accused of aiding her escape and face separate charges of misconduct in public office for allegedly using a fraudulent court document to secure her release.

Roxanne Cudjoe, is also charged in connection with the incident, accused of assisting Boodram days later in Penal to avoid recapture.