Following their indictment in connection with the death of Central businessman Sachel Kungebeharry, two police officers appeared in court.
Master Margaret Sookraj-Goswami practically saw the policemen, who are accused of the capital offense: PC Jason Dan Michael, 34, of Charlie-ville, and acting Cpl Ashraph Mohammed, 45, of Chin Road, Cunupia.
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Additionally, they are charged with misconduct in public office for reportedly kidnapping 32-year-old used-car dealer Kungebeharry and demanding a ransom to release Kungebeharry.
It was claimed that the murder occurred at some point between September 24 and October 4.
On October 3, Kungebeharry’s body was discovered near Longdenville after his captors demanded and were paid a $500,000 ransom.
The allegations were lodged indictably, therefore the policemen, who were represented by lawyers Shiva Boodoo and Roshni Balkaran, were not asked to enter a plea when they first appeared.
Acting Sgt. Lawrence Joefield of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) brought charges against them when he showed up at the Besson Street Police Station.
When the Master questioned Joefield about the state of the case file, he replied that he currently had 32 sworn statements from police officers engaged in the inquiry and that 15 more were still pending.
“The next week or two” is when the outstanding statements are expected to be acquired, and at that point, the file would be sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), he explained.
Before the meeting was adjourned, Boodoo presented two points he wanted Joefield to address and clarify.
First, even though “very specific items” were mentioned when the search order was performed at Mohammed’s residence, Mohammed’s wife’s cell phone was taken by the authorities.
Boodoo stated that another problem was that Michael’s house had also had a car confiscated from it.
Joefield allayed his fears by stating that the warrant permitted the police to take assuage electronic devices from Mohammed’s house and examine them to see whether any evidence was saved on them.
This also contained the officer’s wife’s smartphone.
He clarified that the gadget will be returned if nothing of evidentiary significance is discovered on it.
Joefield said that “samples” had already been collected from the automobile and submitted to the Forensic Science Centre for examination.
Police revealed that it would depend on the results of the sample analysis when Boodoo asked if the car would be returned shortly.
The judge went on to state that the case file must be given to the DPP’s Office by December 18 for it to file the indictment by March 27, 2025, at the latest, before remanding the policemen into jail custody.
Also given till May 29 to file their defense was the counsel for the police.
October 29, 2025, is the date of the status hearing; on November 7, 2025, the sufficiency hearing will be held.
On September 25, Kungebeharry, of Pierre Road, Felicity, was abducted after his vehicle was stopped by a marked police vehicle at Endeavour Road Extension, Chaguanas.
Two guys wearing what seemed to be police tactical clothes took him away and then demanded payment to ensure his safe return.
On October 1, the Caroni Police Station also confiscated the police vehicle involved in the abduction.
