A 70-year-old former United States resident diagnosed with stage four cancer was granted $1 million bail yesterday after appearing on two charges of illegally importing 6,540 rounds of ammunition and a rifle into the country.
However, Morris Mewalal who last Saturday returned to Trinidad to live “out his final days” was unable to secure the bail and was remanded to the State prison.
His attorney Subhas Panday has since written to the Prison Commissioner Sterling Stewart asking that his client be given special attention since he suffered from high blood pressure and in July 2015 he underwent surgery. In March 2016 he underwent another procedure in the United States. As a result, Panday said, Mewalal was in need of special care.
Earlier Mewalal was not called upon to plea to the charges when he appeared before Princes Town First Court Magistrate Indira Misir-Gosine.
Mewalal was charged by PC Solomon in connection with the discovery by police of the rifle and ammunition at his Lower Piparo Road, Williamsville home last weekend. The charges alleged that between July 18 and August 8 at Lower Piparo Road, Williamsville he imported into T&T without an import licence 6,490 rounds of .22 ammunition and 50 rounds of .25 ammunition; as well as the rifle. The charges were laid by PC Solomon. Mewalal’s two relatives were also arrested by the police, but they were subsequently released.
The exhibits - six sweet biscuit pans and a small cardboard box containing ammunition and a long cardboard box containing the rifle were presented in court.
In asking for bail, Panday, who together with attorney Petronella Basdeo represented Mewalal, said he lived in Pennsylvania for 22 years and underwent a surgery at the Temple University Hospital to remove a portion of his colon.
Mewalal was fitted with a colostomy bag which was subsequently removed, Panday said.
He said Mewalal also underwent chemotherapy, but was advised to return for further treatment in November.
However, Panday said Mewalal decided to return to his homeland to live out his final days having regard to the advanced stage of the cancer. After his two relatives were arrested, Panday said Mewalal went to the Princes Town Police Station and gave up himself. He submitted that his client was not a flight risk since he surrendered his travel documents, including his passport, US green card and identification card.
Given his medical condition, he said his client’s mobility was also limited and he was a first time offender.
Panday was only able to produce to the court copies of a few medical documents since most of Mewalal’s medical reports were destroyed in a fire at his Pennsylvania apartment last week.
Citing a recent court matter where a female helicopter pilot was granted $500,000 bail for allegedly trafficking $1 million worth of cocaine, Panday said his clients should also be grated bail since the maximum penalty for that offence and his client’s charges was 21 years.
Panday also commended the police, in particular Sgt Ramlogan, Sgt Sulliman and the Princes Town CID, for their level of professionalism in dealing with Mewalal while he was in their custody.
Granting bail with clerk of the peace approval after prosecutor Sgt Raymond Dookoo did not object to bail, the magistrate also ordered that he surrender his travel documents.
Mewalal is expected to return to court on September 9.