Fifteen years after being charged with assaulting a prisoner and stealing his money, two police officers yesterday went on trial in the San Fernando Third Criminal Court.
Police officers Bertrand Ramsumair and Ronnie Sahadeo pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were arraigned before Justice Maria Wilson.
The offences committed against taxi driver Rajesh Jadoonanan allegedly happened on March 1, 2001. The officers were suspended from active duty after they were charged.
Opening the State’s case yesterday prosecutor Hema Soondarsingh said Jadoonanan was in a car with his wife at Wilson Road, Barrackpore, when the officers signaled for the car to stop.
Ramsumair asked Jadoonanan for his driver’s permit, insurance and taxi badge.
Ramsumair also told Jadoonanan his tint was too dark and asked him if he had a bin in his car.
Ramsumair, who was accompanied by Sahadeo, told him his vehicle had to be impounded.
Soondarsingh said Jadoonanan was shoved, put into the police vehicle and beaten at an isolated location and at the Barrackpore Police Station. It’s the State case, that at the station, the officers stole $700 from Jadoonanan.
Woman Police Constable Magferr Pierre who was the first witness to testify said she was on sentry duty at the station when she heard noises coming from the back of the corridor.
Upon checking she saw the two officers with a man who was bareback and blood was coming out of his mouth.
She said she reported it to Cpl Hazelwood, the officer who was in charge of the shift, and he spoke to them.
Ramsumair is being represented by attorneys Prakash Ramadhar and Michael Rooplal while attorneys Rajiv Persad and Faraz Mohammed are representing Sahadeo.
The trial continues on Tuesday.