Three men from east Port-of-Spain on gang charges have again been denied bail.
Ancil Shawn Villafana, Kevon Isaiah Franklyn, and Keedel Fabian Montrose, all of Beetham Gardens, were all remanded back into custody as they reappeared before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle-Caddle in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates' Court, this morning.
Busby-Earle-Caddle rejected claims by police prosecutors that the Bail (Amendment) Act, which precludes bail for repeat offenders charged with violent crimes, applied to the trio's case.
Busby-Earle-Caddle stated that they all had previous convictions and pending cases for minor offences which are not covered by the Act.
She also ruled that they could not rely on a provision of the legislation which precludes bail to persons who are accused of committing offences with firearms in their possession, as they could not provide evidence to buttress their allegations.
However, Busby-Earle-Caddle did uphold their claim over the trio's potential to intimidate the State's main witness in the case.
Busby-Earle-Caddle advised the men that they could apply to a High Court Judge for bail and adjourned their case to November 29.
Villafana and Franklyn are both charged with being the leaders of an unnamed gang, while all three are charged with providing support to a gang in the commission of gang-related activity.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between September 27, last year, and April 10.
The trio was not called upon to plead to the charges, which were laid indictably.
Shortly after Busby-Earle-Caddle read the charges to the men on Tuesday, she asked them to individually confirm the aliases assigned to them by police.
Villafana denied that he is known as "Chemist" and "Presi", while Franklyn denied that he is called "Fat Joe". Montrose denied that he is also called "Fidel".
Like with the appearances of other persons accused of being gang leaders, security measures at the courthouse were noticeably increased for the trio's hearing.
Even before they were transported to court in a police convoy, heavily armed police officers blocked vehicular traffic St Vincent Street and only allowed minimum pedestrian access.
Villafana is being represented by Osbourne Charles, SC, and Celeste St Louis, while Richard Clarke-Wills and Adrian Thompson are representing Franklyn and Montrose.