Matura resort manager bailed in case of possessing illegal firearm

Trinidad and Tobago: A 28-year-old man was granted bail against the surety of four hundred thousand dollars by a Master of the High Court during a virtual hearing after he pleaded for being not guilty in the case of possessing a firearm and ammunition illegally on Wednesday, 03 April, in Matura.

The accused man is known by his documented name of Chervon Hernandez in the police reports, who is a resort manager by profession. The accused, Chervon Hernandez, lives along High School Road, Matura, a locality in the northeastern part of Trinidad.

As per the police reports, the accused was arrested by the police department on Sunday, 31 March with an illegal firearm and ammunition during an operation in Matura. The action was taken by the Matura Police Station in response to a report of a dispute in the area.

At nearly 1:20 am, a team of police officers visited the informed place to take control of the situation. The Matura police officers conducted an inquiry in the locality of dispute after which they seized a firearm and ammunition from the accused man in a search after which he was taken into custody.

On Monday, 01 April, the accused was charged by the Matura police department under the guidance of PC Caraballo with the relevant crimes committed by him after the interrogation proceedings including possession of illegal firearm and possession of ammunition without any authority.

On the day, the police officers seized a pistol of nine mm calibre with eleven counts of ammunition of nine mm. The suspect was not able to prove his authority to possess a lethal weapon after which he was arrested and eventually charged for offences with which he was presented into the court for the hearing.

The case was heard by Master Margaret Sookraj Goswami, who listened to the arguments of both sides and made his verdict in which the accused man was granted bail and ordered to mark his presence in the local police station twice a week. The man was also ordered to submit the bail surety of four hundred thousand dollars.

The case is still open as the judge ordered the accused man to reappear in the court for the hearing in the same case of his arrest under the offence of possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition in Matura. The case continuation is scheduled for Tuesday, 23 April, in the Sangre Grande Magistrate’s Court.