The two ex-Special Forces soldiers held last week, allegedly with cache guns and ammunition, were denied bail yesterday after the State said they were awaiting vital information from the Defence Force before bail could be considered.
Yesterday Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul, in responding to the bail application made by the men’s attorney, Sophia Chote SC, said the State had requested some pertinent information from the Defence Force and had yet to receive it.
She then requested a short adjournment should be made until tomorrow when the matter comes back up for hearing.
The two men, Cpl Steve Douglas and Lance Cpl Devon Edwards, face a combined three charges of possession of 26 rounds of assorted ammunition, a silencer and possession of three magazines and two pistols at the Uriah Butler Highway, Chaguanas.
Douglas faces an individual charge of having seven rounds of ammunition at Palm Hotel, Eastern Main Road, Arouca. Edwards faces four separate charges of having a Glock pistol with three magazines, a Springfield pistol and two charges of having a total of 46 rounds of assorted ammunition at the Uriah Butler Highway, Chaguanas, on October 5.
In her bail application Chote, who along with Trevor Clarke represented both men, said Douglas, 39, lived at Alfred Street, St James, and had been a member of the Defence Force for 19 years.
The 39-year-old she said had no previous convictions or pending matters and as a result was entitled to bail. Regarding Edwards, Chote said the 36-year-old of Oropune Gardens, Piarco, was a skilled labourer with a pending matter in Tobago. She said Edwards who served for 14 years in the Regiment was charged with attempted murder and the matter was dismissed but the Office of the DPP charged him a second time.
He is scheduled to re-appear in court on January 17, next year, in that matter. Chote argued that even with Edwards’ pending matter he can still be granted bail as he had been faithful in his attendance before the court.
Chote said she was unaware of what weight the information sought by the State from the Defence Force could bring to the case given that both men had been discharged from the Regiment for well over a year.
In response, Honore-Paul said that Edwards was charged for two offences in Tobago—the other being possession of a firearm.
Seven women came to court in support of the two men and had to be told indirectly not to speak with them as they sat in the prisoners’ enclosure in the courtroom of the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court.