Trinidad: Journalist to appear in court today

CMC – Television host Ian Alleyne who is accused of offences under the Sexual Offences Act is due to appear in court later today.



Alleyne, who was released from hospital on Monday night following his arrest last Thursday, was denied bail when the three warrants were executed.



He is also charged with resisting arrest. His lawyer, Om Lalla said his client will appear in court on Tuesday, on the charges following the airing of a tape on a television programme, showing a teenage girl being raped.



The Caribbean Communications Network (CCN) TV6 has also been slapped with nine summonses ordering it to appear before a Port of Spain magistrate on May 14, to answer three charges under the Sexual Offences Act and six under the Telecommunications Act.



The Trinidad Express newspaper, a member of the One Caribbean Media (OCM) group to which the television station also belongs, reported that Alleyne believes the charges against him are an abuse of process and a malicious and vindictive move on the part of the police to ensure there were no bail endorsements on the warrants.



Lalla told reporters on Monday night that it was very unusual bail was not endorsed on the warrants obtained by Persad last Friday.



He said in such cases reasonable bail is set by the Clerk of the Peace, in exercising his discretion, while bail will not be granted in allegations of serious crimes.



"…The warrants indicate that he has to be brought directly before a magistrate, so in other words, only a magistrate can hear or set bail unlike in other matters where you find bail being endorsed in a particular sum. So he has to remain in police custody now formally having being charged," Lalla said



Lalla said Alleyne was prepared to defend himself against the allegations and still had confidence in some police officers and the criminal justice system.



Last December, a large contingent of officers executed a warrant at CCN TV6's offices in search of the tapes showing the alleged rape of a minor.