TWENTY of the state of emergency (SoE) detainees have been ordered to be removed from the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre (ECRC) in Santa Rosa, Arima, to the remand prison at Golden Grove, Arouca.
The moves were announced in revised detention orders gazetted on April 8, by National Security Minister Marvin Gonzales. The orders were made on April 5.
Those ordered to be moved from the ECRC to the remand prison are: Josiah Gomes, Marlon Boodram, Shane Benito, Joven Gomes, Allimudeen Sackoor, Declan Ross, Deshon Ruben, Jalon Frederick, Jonathan Bushell, Julio Noel, Justin Gomes, Kevin Paynter, Malcolm Byer, Nehemiah Joseph, Nigel Scott, Reon Thomas, Shumba James, Stephon Seetal, Tyereeke Williamson, and Ezekiel Morris.
There are 49 gazetted detention orders although the police have said 50 people have been detained since the start of the SoE on December 30, because of an alleged increase in gang violence and to protect national security.
The latest gazetted orders did not give a reason for the move and Gonzales did not immediately respond to queries on the issue.
>
The orders cited paragraph 3 of the schedule to the emergency powers regulations 2024 which allows for any person for whom a detention order is in force to be detained “in such place and under such conditions as the minister may from time to time direct.”
Attorneys for some of the men were unaware of the move when contacted on April 9.
At a media briefing on April 8, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations Curt Simon, said the police were working diligently to finalise charges against some of the detainees. He said charges could be laid before the end of the week.
He said while some would be released when the SoE ends on April 13, this would not prevent police from laying charges later on.
Simon said, “The majority of persons arrested during the SoE were gang members, and most of the cases that we are looking at come under that gang arena, and making out a gang case, regardless of where you go in any jurisdiction in this world, you would see it really takes a considerable amount of time to do and execute, and we are experiencing that here.”
However, he added, “The SoE, though, has allowed us to gain some ground on a number of the investigations, so we expect to see some successes coming out of that.”
He said the investigations were not statute-barred and that charges can and would be laid later on, even if some are released on April 13.
Related News
[UPDATED] Rifle among 4 guns seized by cops in Morvant, Cunupia
Pete Phillip’s family awaits closure: This is worse than our covid experience
Political scientist: UNC switches expected, but timing raises questions