No evidence was taken yesterday when Khalil Karamath, son of late millionaire contractor Hafeez Karamath, and his wife, Sabeerah Mohammed, appeared in the Tunapuna Magistrates' Court to answer gun, ammunition and drugs charges.
Flanked by several relatives, the couple appeared before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John. Their attorneys Om Lalla and Ravi Rajkumar requested disclosure in the matter and within two minutes the case was adjourned. The duo will reappear in court on December 15, together with Khalil's sister Fariana, 29, and three male relatives–two 15-year-olds and 17-year-old Khubaib Ali. Khalil, 22, and Mohammed, 23, are charged with possession of guns and ammunition, possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and possession of devices used to smoke marijuana. After spending six days in custody, they were granted $1.5 million bail each by acting Snr Port-of-Spain Magistrate Joan Eversely-Gill, on August 24.
Fariana and the three teens were slapped with two charges–possession of marijuana and possession of the devices. They were granted $85,000 bail each one day after being arrested. All six relatives were arrested after officers of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau allegedly found 18 high-powered guns, ammunition, marijuana and the devices used to smoke marijuana at Karamath's Valsayn home on August 19. The officers claimed they stumbled upon the illegal items when they went in search of documents and material relating to the investigations into the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott). Hafeez Karamath, 56, died last November after battling with an illness for months.
His construction company, Hafeez Karamath Construction Ltd, became a main contractor for the much-delayed Brian Lara Stadium and Cricket Academy in Tarouba. Karamath reportedly received a $100 million advance for the project.