Originally printed at
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_CHARGED_______FOR_pm______DEATH______THREAT_-174301531.htmlBy Rickie Ramdass rickie.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
October 15, 2012
A Port of Spain porter spent last night in prison following his appearance in the Port of Spain Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with threatening the life of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Nicolai Marfan, 23, was granted bail in the sum of $75,000 but was taken to the Port of Spain prison on Frederick Street as he was unable to have the bail bond secured before the closure of the court yesterday.
He is accused of making a phone call to officers of the E-999 Rapid Response Unit last Wednesday stating he was going to kill Persad-Bissessar.
The matter was initially scheduled to be called in the Third Court before Magistrate Cheron Raphael but was later transferred to be heard before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Eighth Court.
A lone relative of the accused was on the precincts of the court during the morning period, but was not present when the matter came up for hearing before Ayers-Caesar.
Marfan, a porter at Piarco International Airport, pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before the Chief Magistrate yesterday.
Asked if he had an lawyer prior to his pleading not guilty, Marfan, who lives at Charford Court on Charlotte Street, told the magistrate he had spoken with an attorney on Sunday but could not recall his name.
"I have a lawyer, but I have no idea where he is and I can't remember his name," Marfan said.
The police prosecutor in the matter told the court that the prosecution was not objecting to bail, but asked that the seriousness of the alleged offence be taken into consideration.
As a condition of his bail bond, Marfan is also required to report to the Besson Street Police Station every Monday and Thursday.
He was arrested at his workplace on Friday during a sting operation by members of the Port of Spain Criminal Investigations Department (CID) led by ASP Ajith Persad and Cpl Anthony Williams.
Persad laid the charge on Sunday evening after he was given the all-clear to do so by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard SC.
The matter will continue on November 8.
