The matter involving the police officer charged for selling scrap iron belonging to the police service, was unable to proceed yesterday after the court heard that investigators were still tying up loose ends. When Rawle Mc Kenzie's matter was recalled in the Port-of-Spain First Court before Magistrate Melvin Daniel, prosecutor Callister Charles informed the court that the file had not yet been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Roger Gaspard, for a state attorney to be appointed. The 38-year-old officer of Arima, who has 14 years service, is charged with misbehavior in public office. When he appeared in court on July 4, Mc Kenzie was granted $60,000 bail.
It is alleged that on June 30, at the old Traffic Branch headquarters along Abattoir Road, Sea Lots, Mc Kenzie misbehaved in public office by stealing 238 "No Parking" signs, four metal barriers, 34 general purpose chairs and one filing cabinet together valued at $205,310. The items which belonged to the government, were allegedly sold to a Beetham Gardens scrap iron dealer from whom officers were later able to recover them. Informing the court that he was anxious to begin the matter, Mc Kenzie's attorney Richard Clarke-Wills expressed concerns as to whether or not a one-month adjournment would be long enough to ensure the prosecution was ready to proceed.
Assured by the prosecutor that the file would be sent to the DPP shortly, Baboolal-Gafoor adjourned the matter to September 27.