Trinidad police seized 70 bags of dasheen but produced only 30 in court

In a striking declaration, Magistrate Margaret Alert of Trinidad expressed her profound dismay and outrage at the revelation that the quantity of agricultural produce confiscated by the police did not match what was available for return to its rightful owner.

Magistrate Alert strongly advocated for a thorough investigation into this matter, emphasizing the urgency of scrutinizing the discrepancy. While she refrained from attributing any actions to the police in this regard, she urged the local media to delve into the issue.

The incident unfolded when Wayne Marchan and Courtney Granger appeared before the Princes Town court on charges of unlawful possession of bags of dasheen, confiscated by the police on March 9. Represented by attorney Petronilla Basdeo, the defendants contested the charges, presenting evidence that they possessed 76 bags of dasheen along with a receipt amounting to $1,500 for 5,000 pounds of dasheen.

According to the police account, Marchan indicated that the produce originated from Venezuela, prompting suspicions of theft or unlawful acquisition. The officers reported seizing 55 bags of dasheen.

Marchan testified that he had purchased the dasheen from a farmer on March 8 and was en route to sell it when intercepted by the police. He explained that he lacked the invoice or memorandum of sale at the time of the stop, as it was left in the pants he wore during the purchase.

Corroborating Marchan’s account, the farmer testified that Marchan was a regular customer and had indeed purchased over 70 bags of dasheen on the specified day.

After considering the evidence, Magistrate Alert dismissed the case against the defendants, expressing her belief in their testimony. She ordered the return of the confiscated goods to Marchan. However, she voiced her deep disappointment and anger at the apparent discrepancy in the quantity of dasheen returned. Originally, there were over 70 bags, but only “30-something bags” remained at the latest count.

The magistrate raised crucial questions about who might have accessed the produce between the time of its seizure by the police and its current location. She vehemently condemned such discrepancies and called for a thorough investigation by concerned parties, stressing the imperative to prevent such occurrences in the future.