$150k bail for Freeport man allegedly held with assault rifle

A Freeport man has been granted $150,000 bail by a High Court master on charges of having an illegal assault rifle.

Klevon “Moosai” Watson, 38, of Orange Field Road, Freeport, appeared before Master Shabiki Cazabon on November 5.

It is alleged Watson, on October 24, had a prohibited weapon, namely an assault rifle, in his possession, despite not being a police officer, a member of the Defence Force or a Customs and Excise officer, contrary to section 6(2) of Firearms Act which sets out the class of people who are allowed to possess a prohibited weapon.

He is also charged with having 30 rounds of 5.5 mm ammunition, contrary to section 7 of the act, not being the holder of a firearm user’s licence or a firearm user’s employee certificate or being exempted by law.

PC Wesley Tull of the Freeport CID arrested and charged Watson on November 4. Attorney Bhimal Maharajh represented him.

Since the charges were laid indictably, Watson was not called on to enter a plea. The sufficiency hearing has been set for October 9, 2025.

The police had no objections to bail but asked the master to impose conditions to ensure Watson’s appearance in court.

In his bail application, Maharajh said Watson, a scaffolder, was the father of three young children, 12, nine and five, for whom he was the sole provider, as their mother died eight months ago.

He was granted $150,000 bail with surety.

Watson was also ordered to report to the Freeport Police Station on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 6 am and 8 pm.

He will return to court on July 22, 2025, for a status hearing.

Police alleged officers went to execute a search warrant at a house in the Freeport police district, where they met a man standing in the doorway with a green and black assault rifle. They alleged the man dropped the weapon and ran from the house.