Police sergeant granted bail for unlawful possession of ammunition
The police sergeant arrested last week for breach of trust and unlawful possession of ammunition has been granted bail.
Sergeant Lenroy Samuels’ received bail on Monday (November 8) in the Magistrate’s Court where he was granted bail after pleading not guilty to the two charges.
The court was told that on November 25, 2020, police officers executed a search warrant on the premises of Cordell O’Neal who is a suspect in another investigation.
When the officers left the apartment, it was noted the mobile phone belonging to Cordell was left at the apartment. The phone was a major piece of evidence in their investigation. The officers had to apply for another search warrant to be executed on the following day.
The court was informed that while Cordell was in lock-up on November 25, 2020, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera footage showed an off-duty Samuels entering the holding area of the accused and having a conversation with him. Shortly after leaving the cell, the police sergeant allegedly called Zubida O’Neal, the sister of Cordell. She then called her brother Cammy O’Neal, who went to Cordell’s house. Camera footage from Cordell’s residence showed Cammy entering the apartment and removing several items. When the officers eventually executed the search warrant, the phone was missing.
Samuels was arrested on the suspicion of breach of trust. It is alleged that he initially denied knowing Zubida or Cordell but after he was shown the video footage, he said he had called her to inform her that Cordell was in lock-up. The court heard that the police sergeant said he was doing community service and not trying to perverse the course of justice.
For the other matter relating to the illegal possession of explosives, the court was told on November 4 of this year, police officers executed a search warrant on Samuel’s house in Virgin Gorda in the presence of his wife. The police sergeant was in custody at the Road Town Police Station for an unrelated matter.
The court was informed the police found 11 rounds of live .45 calibre ammunition stuffed in a Timberland shoe in the closet. His wife denied knowledge of the ammunition and Samuels allegedly told police officers she did not have anything to do with them and he was the one who had possession and hid them.
Crown opposes bail
After the allegations were read, Crown Counsel Kellei-Gail Smith had made an application for the accused cop to be denied bail based on the nature of the allegations and the known associates of the police sergeant.
She also noted Samuels was a Dominican citizen whose wife worked with a chartered yacht company. The prosecutor said this may present him with the opportunity to leave the territory. However, Magistrate Khadeen Palmer denied the application.
The magistrate said the complaints were all bailable offences and others who have appeared in court for similar offences were granted bail. She eventual set bail at $70,000 with a $10,000 cash component.
Magistrate Palmer also instructed Samuels to surrender his travel documents and report to the Virgin Gorda Police Station every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 6 am and 12 pm.
He was also instructed not to interfere with the investigation which led to the complaint of breach of trust being brought against him.
The matter was adjourned until January 20, 2022. Samuels is being represented by defence attorney Stephen Daniels.
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Wow! Trust no one. The Police Department reputation is tarnished by the likes of Mr. Samuel. If we can’t trust our Police Officers, who then can we trust.
The fact is the same RVIPF arresting and bringing their own to court. Nobody would know about it if they shut them mouths but they going after them and weeding them out. Listen RVIPF, you got my support!!
Now, listen to this…..I was the victim of a heinous crime and as a result, I didnt want anyone else to fall victim to the same crime. So, I sucked it up and applied to the RVIPF where I let them know why I applied(want to make the BVI safer for it’s citizens). I WAS NEVER HIRED. Gotta love the BVI
I hear you but look it this way. The chief is doing a damn good job weaving the rotten one out. I’m not saying he will get them all . Some is better than none.
Bail again – the magistrate needs a wake up call!
Just wow…………………..
As a result of the DCP departure, some such corruption is coming to view.
Just wow again
There needs to be a COI….. Of the RVIPF
AND THE FORCE NEED TO STOP HIRING DOMINICANS.
He know why he resign all his over up are coming out there need to be an inquiry into the police upper arm
What language do you speak?
Well it seems as if all these islandman cops on the take
If there is one reason some people give for not corporating with police and reporting crimes is they do not trust the police.
A case like this unfortunately give legs to those folks concern about lack of trust.
How can a law enforcement officer do something like what he is being accused of?
This is not the first time. There was a female officer who did the same thing a few years ago during a police operation in East End. I believe she was convicted of breach of trust in that case.
Thank God for those CCTV, and just as important that those cctv images are being monitored.
The fact that you have a police officer allegedly giving heads up or advance notice to persons suspected of murder is troubling.
If this guy gets convicted of this, he needs some good time up at Balsum Ghut to serve as a deterrent to other officers considering using their influence wrongly.
Unfortunately, he will likely get away with a slap on the wrist (if so much). The female officer that you spoke about was convicted but didn’t serve a day in prison. She then had the audacity to allegedly turn around and try to sue the government for some frivolous nonsense in relation to her losing her job.
The legal system needs to put measures in place to send a stern message to officers. Too much of this nonsense has been taking place recently.
This is why I stop putting trust in the RVIPF cause there’s many dirty cops spoiling the force. A whole chop hand didnt teach you NOTHING huh Mr.O’Neal ?smh
this will not end well for them brothers
Is this a joke??
What is wrong with some of these Young People? Good Upbringing, Highly Educated, Good Looking,Lacking Nothing but still getting caught up on the Wrong Side of the LAW. So shocked!
That girl name been alleged involved in nonsense. It’s only because of who she for
If he was a local he woulda neva geh bail
NOW I SEE WHY PEOPLE CANT TRUST THE POL LICE
hunm!! a lo tof locals police are the ones putting the dominicans to do stupedness so you all needs to be investigated specially the one in juvenil incharge!
So are you saying that the Dominican police cannot think for themselves and do not know right from wrong? stop posting nonsense. No one is “putting” them to do anything.
If mr O’Neal is a main suspect , why is he on the road still ?
Politicians, their Pickney, and the Police are the most problematic people parading in our paradise.
Yes,especially the politicand
Fake news ..
A lot more of them expats officer to go down!
Omg!His arrest was immenent for the amount of alleged s**t he has done while wearing that uniform, but to everytime he does his s**t those thats above him, see it fit to transfer him to another unit/department and the s**t continued. They dont have that protection anymore so they are all kow getting expose
and just like his rapist friend R*****n (another officer) he will be home in Dominica very soon
So…you went to the residence with a search warrant the first time, saw the phone and just forgot it?! I’ve seen search warrants and it’s always a bunch of police officers jammed up inside and outside. How is it that not one of the many officers that went there, failed to pick up the cellphone? I thought that part was a typo, but realized that it cannot be when two news site have mentioned the same thing. This is however ladies and gentlemen, a major Faux pas!
Maybe the current search warrant was specific; and did not include the phone—which is why they had to get a second item…?
Mr Governor your house in on fire. Too many times we are seeing Police and prison guards caught up in criminal activities. What is going on? Is it too late to advise the COI on these matters. When anything goes wrong with the government messenger The Premier gets the blame and the whole government is labelled as corrupt by the UK. Now everything under the Governor’s portfolio is crumbling but they dont keep the same energy.
Couple of politicians and couple of police sharing the same cell. Then and only then the BVI will become a better place..
So that’s who call the hit on po**er, wsi
Embarrassing
Put all jokes aside, the Dominica officers in RVIPF were sheltered. They have a lot nonsense and got away just because they are Dominicans. A sergeant who used to work marine base escaped town a few ago after a serious allegations. One is before the highcourt for corruption, etc. This is bad very bad for other officers who try to keep their head on. Surprisingly, he didn’t get a tip off. Normally when their president was there ,they just transfer them to other unit with all the allowances. Drain drain drain the swamp.
“It is alleged that he initially denied knowing Zubida or Cordell but after he was shown the video footage, he said he had called her to inform her that Cordell was in lock-up”
One lie ALWAYS leads to another. So he said he didn’t know any of them but when he saw the vid his amnesia was healed and he told Zubida that her brother was locked up?
“For the other matter relating to the illegal possession of explosives, the court was told on November 4 of this year, police officers executed a search warrant on Samuel’s house in Virgin Gorda in the presence of his wife. The police sergeant was in custody at the Road Town Police Station for an unrelated matter”
waaaaiiiiitttt… what??? what was the probable cause to search his house? what was the “unrelated” matter he was held for? Unrelated to the case of the O’Neal debacle or unrelated to the ammunition find?
Somebody in the know please clear this up cause this rabbit hole right here is…lol
Y’all don’t watch TV??
I hear you but look it this way. The chief is doing a damn good job weaving the rotten one out. I’m not saying he will get them all . Some is better than none.
We painting town yellow and they painting it red. Just wow! Not me again.
Finally,your eyes are open. People are finally seeing their true colors
Lock them up!
Those siblings should be ashamed of themselves. Especially the sister. Next October they gonna want to come talk about paint the town yellow. Not me supporting them ever again.
They get away with everything because of their last name.
Some people forget that GOD is always watching…
I dont understand why those three sibilings are not in police custody on suspicions of such of serious crime…
At this point they need security for their families if this is true, the young lady has me baffled paint the town yellow huh