Four years after being charged with misbehaviour in public office, a High Court has dismissed the case against former head of the now-disbanded Special Operations Response Team (SORT), Inspector Mark Hernandez.
Inspector Hernandez was charged in relation to the treatment allegedly meted out to Andrew Morris and Joel Balcon, two suspects who were held in connection with the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Andrea Bharatt. They later died in police custody.
At a press conference held at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Monday with his attorney, Inspector Hernandez said that in 2021, he and his team from SORT, a specialised unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, were doing their jobs: rescuing an officer of the court, 22-year-old Andrea Bharatt, who was subsequently found dead, her body thrown over a precipice in the Heights of Aripo.
“The real victims of this crime is Andrea Bharatt, her father, Mr. Bharatt, the members of the Special Operations Response Team, my family, and the decent citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”
His attorney, Gerald Ramdeen, revealed the judgement of the Master of the High Court, dismissing the charges against his client.
“The court found that there was no identification of Inspector Hernandez in relation to the charge of misbehaviour in public office. The evidence that was presented in 27, not one or two, you know, in 27 witness statements over a period of four years, it fell short of identifying that Inspector Hernandez in any way encouraged the officers of the TTPS to act in an unlawful manner.”
Calling his client a true patriot, Attorney Ramdeen hopes that “good sense prevails” and the men and women who were suspended from SORT return to the service of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
“That team was one of the most elite units in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service that sought to protect and serve our country and in a State of Emergency, that is a team that this country requires now.”
Inspector Hernandez said he holds no ill will, noting that he wants the wrongs made right. He said he is ready to be a part of the rebuilding of the TTPS.
“I’m currently reviewing my options. But as again, I believe in the Police Service, I believe in the rule of law And at this point in time, I’m still deciding what what would be my options, or what options are available to me.”
Inspector Hernandez, who was arrested at his home, was charged after being held for five days by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau.
SORT was disbanded in 2022 and replaced with the National Operations Task Force.