A police officer has been granted $300,000 bail after appearing in court charged with raping his stepdaughter while he was on suspension for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman with a colleague.
The 42-year-old officer from central Trinidad, whose identity was withheld to protect the victim, made his first court appearance in relation to the attack on the girl before Master Rhea Libert yesterday afternoon.
In April 2013, the officer and his co-worker were charged with grievous sexual assault, rape, kidnapping and buggery.
They were accused of carrying a woman against her will from Caroni to a desolate area in Chaguanas where they sexually assaulted her.
The officers also were charged with two counts of misbehaviour in public office, relating to soliciting and receiving a bribe from the male companion of the victim, who was with her when she was abducted.
In 2020, the Children’s Authority contacted the Central Division’s Child Protection Unit to report the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl when she was between seven and nine years old and living with her mother and the officer.
The alleged victim was interviewed in her aunt’s presence and was medically examined.
When the officer was confronted in the presence of his attorney at the Freeport Police Station in June 2022, he denied any wrongdoing.
“I am devastated by the allegation that you have stated, I have been a father to the person you name,” he said.
“I am of the opinion that someone is behind this and I will get to the bottom of it,” he added.
The investigator continued his probe and rearrested the officer after he received advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) last week.
He was then charged with serious indecency, sexual intercourse with a female under the age of 14, and sexual touching of a child.
The officer was not called upon to plead to the latest charges when he appeared before Master Libert.
During the hearing, a police prosecutor did not object to bail.
He noted that the alleged victim, who is now 18 years old, lives in the United States. He also admitted that there was no evidence of the officer threatening the alleged victim in the time frame between the alleged attacks and his being charged.
Master Libert raised concerns over her ability to consider bail as he had pending charges for similar offences.
The officer’s lawyer Bhimal Maharajh pointed out that while his client was charged over a decade ago, there is yet to be a preliminary inquiry or sufficient hearing for his case to go to trial.
He also claimed that the possibility of his client intimidating the victim is low as she lives abroad.
While Master Libert agreed to grant the officer bail with his mother as surety, she imposed several conditions including ordering him to live with her and report to the Chaguanas Police Station every last Thursday of the month until his case is determined.
He was also ordered to refrain from contacting the victim either directly or indirectly, including through social media.
As the police prosecutor indicated that the DPP’s Office may appoint a prosecutor for the case, Master Libert did not set a date for the start of the sufficiency hearing.
The case is scheduled for a status hearing on November 13.
