ILP candidate jailed

Charges: Possession of gun, ammo, shooting with intent

Kerwin Bucchan, Independent Liberal Party (ILP) candidate for the local government elections, was remanded in prison custody by a magistrate yesterday on charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition and shooting with intent. 

Bucchan was refused bail after the police requested time to contact Interpol to find out if he had pending or previous criminal charges.

Bucchan, 38, was announced as the candidate to contest the seat for the Morvant area in the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation during the ILP’s campaign launch at Endeavour Lands, Chaguanas, last Thursday.

Bucchan, of Coconut Drive, Morvant, wore a green T-shirt with black stripes as he appeared before Magistrate Bramanand Dubay in the Chaguanas Second Magistrates’ Court.

Dubay read charges which alleged that on Tuesday at Moonstone Crescent, Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, Bucchan shot at Mohammed Ali and Yaseen Ali, and shot with intent at Kareem Ali, a child, to do grievous bodily harm.

Bucchan was also charged with possession of a Taurus .45 pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition to endanger life.

The charges were laid by constables Arshad Mohammed and Narendra Beharry of the North Eastern Division Task Force.

His attorney, Richard McLeod, told the court that Bucchan is a candidate for the upcoming local government elections.

“He is wearing green by design because that is his party,” said McLeod.

The attorney said the allegations arose from a domestic dispute and pleaded for bail.

However, police prosecutor Sgt Shiva Boodhai objected to bail since the shooting charges allegedly involved minors.

Boodhai also submitted that the prosecution suspected that Bucchan had pending matters or previous convictions, and requested time for a criminal background trace to be conducted.

“It is alleged that he shot at minors and I should grant bail?” asked the magistrate.

McLeod replied: “This is a silly season.”

Dubay denied the defence’s request for bail.

He ruled that Bucchan be remanded for three weeks for the criminal background trace to be done.

However, McLeod asked that Bucchan be remanded for a shorter period since he was an election candidate.

“If he is a potential candidate we would not want to totally destroy that,” said the magistrate.

Bucchan was remanded for one week to reappear in court on October 10.

The local government elections are on October 21.

EXPRESS