The woman accused of making a false report about being kidnapped by three men, kept captive in a house for three days, then locked in a car trunk, has pleaded not guilty to wasting police time.
Reshma Maharaj, 30, of Rochard Road, Penal, returned to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesterday, a day after she was charged and granted $15,000 bail by a justice of the peace.
Maharaj, a secretary, made the kidnapping report to police on Monday after they found her on the M2 Ring Road where she claimed her abductors had left her bound and gagged in a car trunk.
She claimed she managed to free herself by kickeing out the back seat and crawling out of the car.
Maharaj told police she was driving along the M2 Ring Road last Friday morning when a vehicle pulled in front of her, three men came out, grabbed her and forced her into their vehicle. She claimed she was kept captive in a house, then left in the car trunk.
Following inquires into her claims, police arrested her on Tuesday.
The charge agaunst Maharaj is that on Monday, at M2 Ring Road, La Romaine, she caused wasteful employment of the police by knowingly making a false report to PC Trevor Rampersad that she had been kidnapped by three men.
After Fourth Court Magistrate Gloria Jasmath read the charge to Maharaj and she pleaded not guilty, the magistrate said she wanted to revisit bail.
In making a fresh bail application, attorney Shaun Teekasingh, who held for attorney Subhas Panday, said Maharaj lived with her parents, worked as a secretary and had no previous convictions or pending matters.
Court prosecutor Sgt Krishna Bedassie asked for reasonable bail. He said police officers spent two days investigating Maharaj’s case.
The magistrate increased bail to $20,000 and placed Maharaj’s mother as surety. Maharaj was kept in custody until her bail bond was processed.
The case was adjourned to May 9.
