Oh this explains the friendship

NO BAIL FOR NEWSMEN
Reporter, cameraman in court for robbery


CHARGED: Akile Simon


CHARGED: Brendon Alexander


EXPRESS reporter Akile Simon and CCN TV6 cameraman Brendon Alexander were yesterday remanded in prison following their appearance before an Arima magistrate on charges of robbery in Arouca on Sunday.

The two media men appeared alongside security officer Marlie Charles and taxi-driver Randy Borris before Magistrate Anna Ryan in the First Court charged with robbing the owner of K&A Liquor Mart of over $300,000 on Sunday night.

Denied bail, Simon told the magistrate he knew she did not have the authority to determine where in the prison he would be kept, but asked that a note be sent to Prisons Commissioner Martin Martinez regarding his safety.

Simon said he was concerned, given his work as a court and crime reporter, for his own safety and well-being, should he be kept among the general prison population at the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca.

"These matters are already in the public domain so people already know who I am," Simon said.

Reached by phone yesterday evening, Martinez said once there was information that a prisoner's safety is compromised, arrangements would be made to protect that inmate as "we have an obligation to protect all prison inmates…We would find a way."

Simon faces ten charges stemming from offences allegedly committed earlier this year.

Some offences allegedly took place in the Tunapuna district.

Simon also asked that those matters not be transferred to the Tunapuna Court, but instead continue in the Arima court, for he wanted to "take a certain course of action".

His request was granted by the magistrate.

He is charged with robbing the liquor mart owner of TT$185,807, US$28,067 and nine bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Scotch Whisky valued at $2,700; possession of six rounds of ammunition; possession of a nine-millimetre pistol; impersonating a police officer; and uttering a forged document (a search warrant).

Those offences stemmed from the alleged robbery on May 20.

Additionally, Simon is charged with breaking into the home of Justin Maharaj at Eastern Main Road, Arima, on March 17 and stealing a safe containing TT$120,000, US$38,000, £5,000, Can500, and $90,000 worth of gold jewelry, while impersonating a police officer.

He is also accused of receiving a Sig Sauer nine-millimetre pistol, two ammunition magazines and 23 rounds of ammunition belonging to retired Police Commissioner Kenny Mohammed sometime between January 14 and May 20 along Range Road, Arouca, knowing the items to be stolen; possession of an ammunition magazine and of eight rounds of ammunition, allegedly found by officers who on May 21 searched his Grass Trace, Curepe home.

Simon, who was unrepresented, pleaded not guilty to the charges of impersonation and uttering the false document.

He was not called upon to plead to the other charges since they were laid indictably.

Alexander, represented by attorney Joseph Honore, faced two charges of robbing the owner of the liquor mart and driving a vehicle with a false licence plate.

He pleaded not guilty to the second charge.

Borris faces seven charges: robbing the liquor mart owner; possession of a Taurus pistol; and committing the act of common assault on a police officer on May 20.

He is also charged with robbing two Venezuelan nationals in separate incidents at Carlos Street, Woodbrook; and two other charges of impersonating a police officer on April 22, to which he also pleaded not guilty.

The offences alleged to have taken place in Woodbrook were transferred to the Port of Spain Magistrates' Court, and will come up for hearing on Tuesday.

He was also represented by Honore.

Charles, however, facing two charges of robbing the liquor mart owner and pretending to be a police officer, entered a guilty plea to the latter charge and will be sentenced on Monday, when all four accused return to the Arima court.

The prosecutor, a police corporal who did not give his name to reporters, objected to bail, describing the offences as serious.

He said preliminary checks showed that the accused men had a checkered past, but that their criminal background tracing was not yet available.

He asked for the opportunity to have them properly traced before bail was considered.

Acting Sgt Carl Hosten, Cpl Williams, and PC Jones of the Arouca Criminal Investigations Department (CID) laid the charges.

it goes to show that even when educated....indian ppl like to thief money AND black ppl like to rob and kill

When you go to Junior Sec you kinda learn to read and write.
When you kinda learn to read and write you become a journalist.
When you become a journalist you think you're Brenda Starr.
When you think you're Brenda Starr you try to pull off daring liquor mart robberies.
When you try to pull off daring liquor mart robberies you end up on I.D Parade.

Don't end up on I.D Parade! Get DirecTV.

i watched their pics & all isaw was "bandit"

It's okay to quote yourself.

One of them fellas get lock up again?

It's okay to quote yourself.

Wonder what the senior police officers that call him giving information and stories gonna do now, especially where they allowed him to sit in on conferences and pre-exercise briefings?

Wonder how he came upon the bullet proof vests that are police issued?

no SR20 DET(Danraj Engine Technology) no care

Journalist on bail, held with gun
Monday, July 9 2012

INFORMATION reaching Newsday last night that a senior crime journalist, who is currently out on bail having been charged earlier this year with a series of criminal offences, was arrested yesterday with a loaded pistol.

According to senior police sources, Tunapuna Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officers, acting on information, carried out surveillance at a house in Meade Street, Tunapuna. At about 6 pm, officers moved in and held the journalist. A loaded nine-millimetre semi-automatic pistol was seized.

Up to press time, the journalist who worked for a television and newspaper media outlet, was in custody assisting police with their investigations.

The journalist along with a video cameraman who also works at the media outlet, appeared before an Arima magistrate in May to answer a series of charges including armed robbery of an Arouca businessman, possession of arms and ammunition, impersonating a police officer and uttering a forged document.

Insp Sinanan of Tunapuna CID is spearheading investigations.

Lawyers want to drop ex-reporter
By Rickie Ramdass rickie.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created: Jul 13, 2012 at 12:02 AM ECT

Story Updated: Jul 13, 2012 at 12:02 AM ECT

ATTORNEYS who represented former Express crime reporter Akile Simon on charges stemming from an alleged robbery attempt in May, have indicated they no longer wished to appear for him in the matters.

Defence attorney Rajiv Rickhi, who held for John Heath and Dana Seetahal SC, told Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan in the Arima Court yesterday the attorneys were withdrawing themselves from representing Simon.

He however did not state why the attorneys had made such a decision. In turn, Cardenas-Ragoonanan said Seetahal and Heath themselves needed to indicate this to the court before it could be taken into consideration.

Simon, 29, former TV6 cameraman Brendon Alexander, security officer Marlie Charles and taxi-driver Randy Borris were all scheduled to reappear before Cardenas-Ragoonanan yesterday on charges stemming from an alleged armed robbery at the K&A Liquor Mart in Arouca on May 20.

Alexander, Charles and Borris made their appearance before the magistrate, but Simon, who is currently in custody at the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca, was not brought to the court. A reason for him not being taken before the magistrate was also not given.

Simon was initially granted bail in the sum of $250,000 by Cardenas-Ragoonanan, but was remanded into custody by Tunapuna Magistrate Gail Gonzales after he was arrested on Sunday, allegedly with a firearm and 13 live rounds of ammunition in his possession.

Alexander, who is charged with robbery and driving a vehicle with false number plates, is currently out on $60,000 bail. Borris and Charles are both still in prison custody.

They will be reappearing before Cardenas-Ragoonanan on August 9.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Law ... 09556.html

It's okay to quote yourself.