THE Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has opened an investigation into startling findings made by a High Court judge about a TT citizen being "abducted" from Barbados by police to face criminal charges.

In a WhatsApp response on Saturday, Police Complaints Authority (PCA) director David West said, "Upon receipt and perusal of the judgment, the PCA initiated an immediate investigation."

"This complaint increases the number of enquiries into similar conduct by the TTPS (TT Police Service). The PCA’s other FUL (firearms user licence) investigations and complaints by firearm dealers are close to completion," he said.

On April 25, Justice Devindra Rampersad made scathing findings against police officers in his judgment where he stayed criminal charges against firearms dealer Brent Thomas.

Thomas was first arrested on September 29, 2022, and later released. He was re-arrested in Barbados, from where he intended to travel to Miami to meet his cardiologist, and said he was forcibly returned to Trinidad on a TT Defence Force (TTDF) plane. He was later charged with possession of a series of weapons, including grenades and rifles.

The matter was raised on Friday by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal during the debate on an opposition motion of no confidence against National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

[caption id="attachment_1013589" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal during debate on a motion in Parliament on April 29. - Photo courtesy Parliament[/caption]

Moonilal said, "It is shocking what this judgment tells us. Mr Justice Rampersad made certain observations about the conduct of the police in this matter."

Moonilal said the judgment indicated that "the police participated in a process of the illegal abduction of a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, in violation of his constitutional rights."

The police, he claimed, "went to Barbados and abducted him illegally and brought him back to TT."

He said, "From the judgment, it is said that the Defence Force assisted the TT Police Service to fly to Barbados and to illegally abduct a citizen of TT and bring him back to TT, to face charges and so forth."

Moonilal called on Hinds to indicate whether he approved the TTDF's participation in this matter.

"Did you approve? No Defence Force aircraft can leave this country without the knowledge and/or authority and permission of a minister of national security."

Moonilal said, "You cannot land on foreign soil without some kind of diplomatic interchange...exchange to ensure that the Defence Force has authority to go in that country and participate in what effectively is a police operation."

He reiterated that Hinds must indicate his role "in the illegal abduction of a citizen of this country.

But in response, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young disclosed for the first time that the plane which brought Thomas back to Piarco was assigned to the Regional Security Services, based in Barbados.

Young said, "The fact is that did not happen and it was a