Twenty-three-year-old Ravi Jhagroo thought it would be fun to test how quickly the police and fire services can respond to an emergency, so he called Powergen at its Point Lisas plant, on his cell-phone, and said there was a bomb on the compound.
Neither Powergen, the police nor Magistrate Debra Quintyne thought this was funny, and, after an investigation, arrest and guilty plea, Jhagroo is to be sentenced tomorrow for making a bomb threat, triggering a scare.
“This is not a matter to be taken lightly. This is a very serious matter especially at this time of terrorism,†Quintyne warned Jhagroo, when he appeared before her at the Couva Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
She remanded him into custody and will give her sentence tomorrow. Charged under the Summary Offences Act, Jhagroo faces a minor fine of $200 or one month in prison.
Jhagroo, who is married and lives at Penal Rock Road, Penal, was arrested last Saturday, nearly three months after a police investigation began into the report of a bomb scare at Powergen, Caspin Drive, Pt Lisas on March 29. At the time, he was employed as a contractor for Powergen.
Court prosecutor Sgt Gregory Worrell said Jhagroo placed a call to Powergen on his cell- phone, 365-2430, and told security officer Joan Lewis there was a bomb on the compound which would explode within two hours.
Worrell said Powergen was immediately evacuated and officers of the Couva Police Station responded to the emergency call. After a detailed check of the compound, no bomb was found and within hours, employees were allowed to re-enter and resume work, Worrell told the court.
The police eventually traced the cell-phone number from which the call to Powergen was made and an arrest warrant was executed at Jhagroo’s home in Penal. Digicel, the telecommunications services provider, assisted the police in their investigation.
PC Bhagratty Jagdeo of the Couva Police Station laid the charge, which stated that Jhagroo used his cell phone to “call Powergen and made a statement known to be false, causing annoyance, anxiety and inconvenience to peopleâ€ÂÂÂÂ.
The magistrate was told Jhagroo at first denied he made such a call before confessing to investigators.
Worrell quoted Jhagroo’s statement in which he said,“Officer, I really make the call because I wanted to see how the emergency system does work.†Jhagroo’s Nokia cell phone was also presented as evidence to the court yesterday.
Attorney Shankar Bidasse, who represented Jhagroo, said his client was married and had no previous convictions. He said his client at the time was only having fun but acknowledged it was no excuse for what he did.
“Fun...only having fun?†Quintyne responded to Bidasse. “If for 23 years he does not know that calling in a bomb threat is not something that one should do, when will he know?†Jhagroo kept his head bent low during the proceedings and remained silent. The magistrate remanded him into custody until she gives her sentence tomorrow.
