Judge furious as cops grant bail to migrating man

A senior parish judge was angered by reports that a cop offered bail to a man despite him declaring he was due to leave the country before his court date.

Defendant Oshane Grant is charged for malicious destruction of property and was granted station bail on July 19. He was booked to attend court on August 21. However, his sister attended on his behalf and told the judge that he was prepared to pay the $30,000 that was requested by the complainant as compensation.

A second mention date was set for yesterday but Grant was again a no-show. It was then that his sister told the judge that he left the island on July 29. She said that he recently got married and that his partner, who resides overseas, is doing the necessary filings to have him relocate to that jurisdiction. She said that her brother's status was known to the police at the time he was being granted bail, insisting he was told that he only needed to have a representative attend court on his behalf while he was overseas.

Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque was furious.

"It simply means that at the station, the processes of the court are being frustrated. Me want to know if money run or something. I am being told that the man is overseas and he is being filed for and the officer gave him bail? I want to know this officer, 'cause this is stupid, corrupt and other adjectives which I cannot say," the judge said.

Grant is accused of climbing onto the complainant's roof and jumping repeatedly until the board in the ceiling broke through. Cole-Montaque said the situation is unfair to the complainant who has turned to the court to get justice.

"I won't be aiding and abetting. I need the officer who granted him bail to come to court and explain this to me because something not adding up," the judge ordered.

Contact was made and the investigator, a sergeant, attended the court.

"The woman said the police gave him bail, even though they knew he was leaving. I was saying I want to know which police officer is aiding and abetting this man causing contempt of court," Judge Cole-Montaque queried. But the sergeant informed the judge that she was not aware of the man's intention to leave the island at the time she signed the bail bond.

"I need to see some proof, a picture of a plane ticket or something that he will be coming back," Judge Cole-Montaque instructed.

The matter was adjourned until September 20 for Grant to appear in court.