A few months after she led a high-profile investigation into allegations of misbehavior in public office against the then commissioner of police, Erla Harewood Christopher, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Suzette Martin, is now the subject of a police investigation.
In May, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Roger Gaspard, said there was no evidence to charge the then commissioner of police with any offence.
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Newly appointed Police Commissioner, Allister Guevarro, told a news conference Monday that while Martin remains in her post, the police are investigating a matter in which a firearms dealer had submitted a report on June 18.
“I would have received a report from a firearms dealer against a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Miss Suzette Martin. That matter was in the public domain and as a result of that I would have decided to take some decisive action in terms of bringing to the fore, accountability and transparency in dealing with the matter.
“The firearm dealer would have indicated certain acts were carried out against him and he felt this was bordering on criminal conduct.
“I would not want to pronounce on exactly what is that criminal conduct because an investigation is under way and we will be certain that the investigation when completed will uncover whatever criminal conduct exists,” the newly minted top cop told reporters.
Guevarro said a decision to remove the deputy commissioner or send her on administrative leave remains within the purview of the Police Service Commission (PSC) which has been apprised of the report and the investigation.
He said that the probe is linked to Martin’s involvement in the 2022 arrest of firearms dealer and trainer Brent Thomas in Barbados.
Thomas, 61, was detained while awaiting a flight to the United States and later charged with three counts of possession of firearms and four counts of possession of explosives.
In April 2023, High Court judge Devindra Rampersad ruled that Thomas’ arrest, carried out by officers led by Martin, amounted to an “abduction.”
Guevarro said that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) remains committed to its mandate despite recent controversy involving its leadership and that the decision to publicly confirm the probe into Martin showed the service’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“I have every trust and faith in the investigative team that they will be able to uncover any misgivings that would have occurred or, I should say, lend to the misbelief that misgivings will occur,” he said.
In July last year, the state formally went on record admitting that the detention and return of Thomas from Barbados in 2022 was unlawful.
The admission was made at a hearing on July 24, of the Attorney General’s appeal of a High Court judge’s ruling that permanently stayed all criminal charges against Thomas, the owner of Specialist Shooters Training Centre. CMC
