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Did Cops Let Min Perez Off The Hook Too Quickly?
posted (October 4, 2024)
On Monday the ComPol explained that Minister Andre Perez would not be charged for the cocaine found on his boat since there was no evidence that it belonged to him. The vessel was moored at a boatyard for six months and the police could not tie him or the owners of the boatyard to it.

But many in the public criticized the ComPol for letting Perez off the hook so easily. The media asked him about the investigation again today.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"The department is not one that would act based on what certain sectors of the public may want to see us act on. We act based on evidence and we must objective in terms of how we carry out our functions. If you have a vehicle and your vehicle experience mechanical problems. And you take your vehicle to a mechanic's garage, you park it there for six months, you don't go to that mechanic's garage and check your vehicle, your vehicle is left open, the mechanic have access to it. The garage is an open area, people have access to it. If police were to go and find drugs in your vehicle after six months, would it be fair to say that the drugs belong to you?"

Reporter:
"The counterargument as far as I'm understanding is to say that, for instance, if the police conduct a raid or a search at a residence and they find illegal items in there then automatically it's ascribed that it's your property."

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"But again you hear you said at the residence. The boat is not at Mr Perez's residence, Mr Perez lives miles away from the boatyard, the man does not live there. If there were anybody to be held to account for the drugs in the boat, it would've been the owner of the boatyard but even they cannot be held to account because the boatyard has so many ins and outs. People go in and as I said before, the police went there based on intelligence that was given to them by people who live in the area having seen these drug men going to the area. You expect me to charge the minister for something that there is no nexus between him and that object? I can't do that. Not because of his social or economical status but simply because there is absolutely no nexus between him and the drugs. everyday police find drugs in people's yards that are open, we don't charge them. Police find guns in people's yards that are open, we don't charge them because you to go to court you have to have a nexus, you either have to have actual possession or constructive possession."

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