Trinidadian faces five gun charges; denied bail
A Trinidadian man has been brought before the Magistrate’s Court on several counts of firearm-related charges.
Kelon Fortune, a resident of Lower Estate, is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm and four counts of illegal possession of a prohibited weapon.
The court heard that sometime in February, police officers observed a black Suzuki Vitara vehicle travelling on a lone unpaved road to an orange-coloured residence in Havers Estate. The court was informed there are no other residential buildings in proximity.
The prosecution said on March 1, the police secured a search warrant for the house and the occupant. And during the operation, the police reportedly recovered a pistol and four prohibited firearms bearing various serial numbers.
The court was informed that Fortune was arrested later that morning and transported to the West End Police Station. When he was arrested, the police allegedly recovered a key for the Havers residence from the vehicle.
The prosecution said that during an interview with police, the accused stated he visited the Havers residence to see his cousin who resided there.
He allegedly said his cousin gave him a motor jeep before he departed the territory sometime in February 2022. The court heard that Fortune told officers he visited the property and removed two dogs to go to the veterinarian to be groomed.
The prosecution said he denied knowledge of the firearms and he refused to give DNA samples of his fingerprints.
Immigration Status
The court was told that Immigration had provided documents that showed the accused was overstaying in the territory as of September 17, 2021.
However, Fortune’s attorney Stephen Daniels said although the defendant is a Trinidadian, he has lived his life mostly in the Virgin Islands and he has Labour exemption. Daniels said the defendant returned to the territory sometime in August 2021 via a ferry from the United States and when he passed through Immigration they gave him his passport.
The attorney said he was surprised the prosecution said he overstayed his time as, from his instructions, Immigration did not stamp his passport. Daniels said it seems they relied on his exemption and allowed him to enter. Fortune’s attorney also produced a copy of his client’s passport page which was not stamped with an end date.
Daniels said that since August 17 when Fortune arrived in the territory, he was under the belief that he could have remained in the territory for six months because they did not stamp his passport.
Bail
The attorney said Fortune did not live at the residence and he was merely assisting his cousin with feeding and taking care of the dogs. Daniels said there is nothing personal at the home for his client.
In the bail application, his attorney said Fortune was married with two minor children and he was employed as an IT Technician and lived with his mother in Lower Estate.
However, the prosecution said his wife and children did not reside in the territory and from Fortune’s interview, he was not staying with his mother at the time, but he was sleeping in his car.
Magistrate Khadeen Palmer said Daniels did not establish strong enough social and family ties to the territory for him not to be a flight risk territory.
She said based on the charges, the public interest overvalues the constitutional right of liberty for the accused. As a result, she denied him bail.
The matter was adjourned until April 28.
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LOL his attorney is a j**e.
Naw his attorney made a good attempt for bail.
Interesting story, but I am quite surprised he was not granted bail given the trend.
Why would he come to the BVI and sleep in his vehicle when his cousin’s house is vacant and his mother resides here.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s linked to other murders
Vacant… but with dogs. Doesn’t make sense!
What’s so hard to believe ..U never sleep in your car when you come from a party drunk or to tied!! I have done that so much time..
i hope those guns are being checked out thoroughly . Another trini hustler just like the other one who went back Trinidad with a couple hundred thousand dollars of our tax payers ? with that FIASCO with the WIGGED one against vanterpool
So you deny the dude bail….
1) the guns weren’t found on him
2) the residence where the guns were found ain’t registered in he name
3) he gah no prior convictions
4) de oda fella who had ammunition and drugs found on him got bail
But you still deny this man bail?? That Palmer lady need fly back out to here home land and do a lil more studies. Lady do your job based on factual evidence, not emotions.
VI need real Judges and not these mediocre ones they bringing in
Makes perfect sense if the dude is involved with organized crime and murder.
Keep a stash house with the guns in the country. Leave when the job is done. dogs at the house stop thieves. Kids and wife out the country. Sleeping in a vehicle not staying one place. Don’t want to give finger prints because he probably handled them guns.
Don’t take a genius to see through their operation.
you watch to much TV..go read a book.
It’s so hard for you to believe it’s your own BVI ppl killing your own that u made this scenario up in you head lol…really a hit man!!
so if i read right.. if im driving a black vehicle and im seen entering orange residence, that is sufficient to get a search warrant here?
You read correctly, but there was a suspicion and it was sure correct.
Judges sign off on a search warrant because ‘a lone vehicle was driving along an unpaved road to an Orange-coloured residence’
I guess you can only drive in public places.
You can drive wherever you want, but people who live in an area also observe things and have a right to report their suspicion with a view to keeping their neighborhood crime free. Their suspicion was correct.