The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Monday said it has “independently initiated an investigation” into the alleged disappearance of seized ammunition from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
“Several similar reports of missing exhibits and seized items in the custody of the TTPS have been investigated by the TTPS which has the sole remit under Section 48 (2) (of the PCA Act) to investigate criminal offences involving police officers, police corruption and serious police misconduct,” the PCA said in a statement.
“The allegation of missing ammunition from the TTPS is a matter of great concern and the PCA will undertake a comprehensive investigation into this matter” it added.
The PCA said it had also taken note of a newspaper article on Monday, in which Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher has ordered an immediate investigation into the disappearance of an estimated 500 rounds of ammunition the police had seized from a licensed gun dealer in October last year.
Harewood-Christopher, who earlier this month received the nod from the Parliament for the top post, told a television station on Sunday night the matter is now engaging the attention of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB).
The ammunition had been seized from the Firearms Training Institute Ltd, with the owner, Towfeek Ali, also reporting that the police had seized his personal firearms and ammunition as well as the company’s computers and registers.
By letter dated January 24, 2023, the company’s attorney Anand Rampersad wrote to TTPS Legal officer Adita Ramdular indicating that 500 rounds of ammunition had been missing and requested that they be returned immediately.
On Sunday, Opposition legislator, Dr Roodal Moonilal told a news conference the police had seized the ammunition last year from a company in Central Trinidad and legal action had been taken against the police.
He said a judge ordered the ammunition be returned and when that was done, 500 rounds were missing.
Moonilal said the police had descended on the company’s premises under the “guise” of conducting a regular inspection of their books and an estimated 1,130 rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition as well as weapons were seized for safekeeping.
He said in November 2022, attorneys representing the company wrote the police and enquired about the seized ammunition and weapons, but there was no response and the company then filed for judicial review in December.
The Opposition legislator said an injunction was heard on January 23, and Justice Devendra Rampersad ordered the police to return the ammunition and weapons to the company.
Moonilal said only 630 rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition were returned and the TTPS is now in contempt of a court order and legal action is also being taken on this.
Moonilal said the police are saying in a subsequent communication to the company they think they “miscalculated” by 500.
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