Former coordinator at the now defunct LifeSport Programme, Rajaee Ali, appeared yesterday before an Arima magistrate charged with possession of a prohibited meat.
Ali, 29, appeared before Magistrate Indra Jagroo in the Arima Magistrates’ Second Court along with Roget Boucher, 29, and Kevan Modeste, 33, who were both charged with the same offence.
The three men, who all hail from Caparo, were all represented by defence attorney Criston J Williams.
Williams noted that Ali was a father of two and had two wives. He also noted that Ali had no convictions under his name.
The attorney then submitted to the court that his clients had been charged under the wrong section due to the exuberance of the lawmen involved in this case.
He said the section the three men were charged under death with possession of live animals and the animal which was allegedly seized was dead at the time of discovery.
However, after a check with the charging officer the police prosecutor informed the court that, for now, the State was proceeding with charges against the three men under section 9 of the Environment Protection Act.
As a result, the men all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Boucher also faces an additional charge of driving without a driver’s permit and for driving without valid proof of insurance.
The 29-year-old man pleaded guilty and was fined a total of $3,500 for these offences.
The three men were then granted bail at $25,000 each and are expected to reappear on August 29.
PC Alister Brewster is the complainant in the matter.
According to police reports, at about 12.40 p.m. on Saturday a party of officers from the Northern Division were on mobile patrol along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, when they had cause to stop a blue Nissan Navara pick-up with three occupants. Upon searching the vehicle, the officers reportedly found the carcass of what appeared to be a wild animal. The three were immediately detained for possession of prohibited meat. Upon questioning the driver, the officers realised he was operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s licence.
On July 22, Ali and 17 other persons were arrested at the Carapo Mosque in relation to several inquiries including kidnapping and gang-related activities. The 16 men and two women were subsequently released on July 25, with no such charges being levied against any of them. At a press briefing held that same day, Ali told reporters that he felt as though he was being victimised by the police as he claimed he was not doing anything wrong or illegal, yet he was still being targeted.