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A police constable is to be charged with the sexual assault of a 22-year-old woman.

Police say on January 6^th the woman was walking in Pine Ridge, Arouca when a vehicle pulled up alongside her.

The driver is said to have opened the front passenger door, pointed a gun at the woman and ordered her to get inside.

The woman said she got into the car.

She claimed she was taken to a lonely road in Arouca where she was assaulted.

The officer is reported to have dropped her off at Singh Street in Arima.

A passerby saw the woman and after speaking with her called for an ambulance.

She was taken to the Mt. Hope Women’s Hospital where she was examined.

Officers of the Arouca CID took a statement from her.

The next morning the 35-year-old constable was arrested at his home in Arouca.

Yesterday, head of the Police Social and Welfare Association, Inspector Gideon Dickson, told us while he cannot go into details, justice will be handed down where it is due.

Meanwhile, head of the Police Complaints Authority, David West said upon its completion, the TTPS probe into the incident will be reviewed by his team.

The police officer was detained at his home at the ­NUGFW Housing Development, off Lopinot Road, Arouca.

Reports say up to yesterday the officer was being questioned.

The Professional Standards Bureau of the police service is also probing the alleged incident.

The Minister of National Security is being asked to confirm or deny reports that people are arriving in the country without approved exemptions.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar last night said she has been told the exemption system of the government is not working well.

She is also questioning the powers being used by National Security Minister Stuart Young, to grant or reject requests for exemptions.

At a political meeting of her United National Congress last evening, Mrs. Persad Bissessar is accusing the government of abusing its powers and dismissing genuine requests from nationals to return home.

Chartered Surveyor and former head of the Joint Consultative Council, Afra Raymond is not at all sold on the amendments to the Procurement Act.

The Bill was passed in the Senate earlier this month.

Mr. Raymond says what the government is proposing raises many questions.

Like many opposed to the Bill as it stands, Mr. Raymond slams the exclusion of some contracts from inspection.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 yesterday Mr. Raymond said legal fees should not be excluded either.

He said 14 months ago the position of Finance Minister Colm Imbert on the matter was different and he now wonders why.

Two cunupia women will appear in court today charged with possession of crack cocaine.

Two women were arrested and the drug seized during an anti- crime exercise in the Central Division on Saturday.

A TTPS release says PC Goinda and a party of officers of the Couva Criminal Investigations Department and Central Division Task Force south, based on intelligence, stopped a vehicle in the vicinity of exchange lots traffic lights, Couva.

Officers say they found 4 bags each containing creamy rock like substances resembling cocaine with a combined weight of 118 grams.

The 2 suspects both of Mon Plasir Road are to appear at the Couva Magistrate Court today.

PC Goinda is continuing enquires.

Heritage Petroleum confirms the electrocution of Dean Williams at Rifle Range in the Palo Seco area.

In a release, Heritage Petroleum says it received reports at around 11:30am on Saturday of the tragic loss of life.

It says the reports indicated that, 34-year-old Mr. Williams, a resident of the area, came into contact with a live electrical line from an illegal connection from a Heritage low voltage power line to his home.

Heritage officials are said to have visited the scene along with officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the District Medical Officer.

It says all relevant regulatory bodies have been informed of the incident and the TTPS is investigating.

Heritage says it is truly saddened by this tragedy.

It says it will continue to prevent and discourage persons from establishing illegal electrical connections from the company’s grid.

It says it is their sincere hope that no such loss of life will ever occur in the future.

The company expresses its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.

There are 8 more COVID-19 cases in the country.

The Ministry of Health yesterday said the new cases are from samples taken between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

The death toll remains at 125.

According to the Ministry, as of yesterday there were 436 active cases of the virus and the total number of recorded infections since March stands at 7,112.

Twenty-nine patients are hoispitalised but 358 are in home self-isolation.

Thirty-seven of them are under the care of the prison system.

The Ministry said 6,551 patients have fully recovered.

One hundred and thirty-four people are at state quarantine facilities.

Forty-one people are in step down facilities.