All of them were arrested since the declaration of a state of emergency. The men are from two groups living on Nelson, George and Picton Streets, Port-of-Spain.
They pleaded not guilty toi charges that they are part of the “Nelson Street Gang” and the “Picton Street Gang”.
They are facing charges under Section 5 (1) (a) of the act which makes it an offence to be part of a gang in T&T. The maximum penalty for that is 10 years in prison.
According to the Bail (Amendment) Act, persons charged with gang-related activities are not allowed bail for 120 days after being charged.
Attorney Ian Brooks, representing one of the accused, demanded that the prosecution disclose all evidence against his client. Brooks claimed that the police doesn't have any evidence to show that his client is involved in gang activity.
“I will like any interviews, affidavits, video footage or telephone records that show my client is a gang member,” Brooks demanded.
Police prosecutor Richard Taylor assured Brooks that disclosure of the evidence against the men would be available as soon as possible.
The accused are to re-appear in court on September 5 with the trial set to begin on September 12.
This is what the Anti-Gang Act 2011 states in Section 5:
(1) It is hereby declared that gangs are unlawful and any person
(a) who is a member of a gang, or,
(b) who, in order to gain an unlawful benefit, professes to be a gang member when in fact he is not, whether by telling anyone that he is a gang member or otherwise suggesting to anyone that he is a gang member, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for ten years and on any subsequent conviction on indictment to imprisonment for 20 years.
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