As the date draws nearer for the proposed hearing of an extradition proceeding with respect to two Vincentians suspected in the October 11, 2019, robbery of the Carriacou branch of the Grenada Union of Teachers Co-operative Credit Union, questions are being asked as to whether police have arrested the right persons.
Grenada law enforcement authorities have a major hurdle to deal with as they seek to have the Serious Offences Court here grant an order for the extradition of two Vincentian men named as suspects.
Proving that the images of suspects extracted from video footage captured by closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera were those of the suspects detained and that at the date and time of the robbery the named suspects were at the scene of the crime is a major challenge for the authorities.
Already, the public have taken interest in matter and person have been making comments in relation to the Vincentian suspects and the photos circulated in the bulletin by the Grenadian authorities.
Of greater interest, though, is information alleging that both suspects at the date and time of the alleged burglary, the suspects were seen at their separate places of employment. The crime allegedly occurred at about 9.30 a.m on October 11, 2019.
It is understood that such information has reached the court here. However, neither the prosecution and the defense did not confirm such allegations when they were questioned by reporters outside the court after the suspects were granted bail.
The authorities here are said to be awaiting further documents from Grenada. Reports out of Grenada earlier indicated that those documents were to be provided in thirty days.
According to reports out of Grenada following the alleged robbery, Grenada authorities issued a wanted bulletin showing the faces of two suspects and had notified regional and international law enforcement agencies of their alleged crime.
The two residents of Carriere, Marriaqua, taken into custody by local police are Anlee Parsons and Hyah Browne. Reports say investigators from Grenada arrived here shortly after to assist with identifying the men as the investigation continued. The Vincentian men were arrested by warrant under the Fugitive Offenders Act on Friday 25th October.
When they appeared before the Serious Offences Court on Thursday 31st October, Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche made an application for their detention.
Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias granted the application for the arrest of the two suspects pending a hearing of an application for extradition to Grenada on alleged association with the robbery.
The two men were remanded into custody until December 10th, 2019.
On November 11th, however, an application by the suspects’ lawyer Grant Connell for their bail was heard before the Serious Offences Court.
Connell informed the court that his application was supported by affidavits which he submitted to the court. He, however, did not disclose the content of the affidavits.
The prosecution, led by Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche, did not object further to bail for the suspects.
Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias granted the men bail in the sum of $3,000 with one surety each.
If the extradition order is made, Parsons and Browne will be taken to Grenada to face charges relating to the robbery.
Grenada police have already charged the driver of the getaway vehicle with conspiracy and he is currently on bail, according to reports.
