Retrial for Machel Montano and Kernal Roberts

Soca star Machel Montano, and songwriter Kernel Roberts

PORT OF SPAIN – Soca artistes Machel Montano and Kernel Roberts were granted TT$50 000 bail each after the Court of Appeal here on  Friday ordered a retrial in their case dating back to 2007.

The  court allowed the appeal by Montano and Roberts, the son of the late calypsonian, Lord Kitchener, against their convictions and sentence stemming from a fracas outside a nightclub here in 2007.

Both men had been convicted and fined in 2013 for assaulting a group of people outside the nightclub.

In December 2012, Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor found Montano guilty of assaulting Gerard Bowrin, Janelle Lee Chee, Brandis Browne and Russell Pollonais. Roberts was found guilty of assaulting Browne and Pollonais.

Montano was ordered to pay compensation totalling TT$13 500 and fines totalling TT$13 700, while Roberts was ordered to pay compensation totalling TT$11 000 and fines totalling TT$13 000.