By LAUREL V WILLIAMS Wednesday, October 3 2012

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Shane Aleong, son of Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh, appeared in the Port-of-SpainMagistrates' Court yesterday on three charges, including the a...

SHANE ALEONG, 28, son of Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh appeared yesterday before a Port-of-Spain magistrate to answer three charges arising out of an alleged beating incident in Woodbrook. Aleong was later granted $25,000 bail.

Aleong stood before Senior Magistrate Annette McKenzie in Courtroom Four A, who read out the charges that on September 19 at Woodbrook, he had in his possession a cutlass with intent to commit an indictable offence namely to wound; that on the same date at the same location, he assaulted Gregory Wight occasioning actual bodily harm and; on the same date and at the same place, did use obscene language to the annoyance of persons.

Aleong pleaded not guilty to all three charges which were laid by Cpl Joshua. Attorney Ravi Rajcoomar informed the magistrate that he and attorney John Heath, instructed by attorney Nalini Bansee, would be representing Aleong. Rajcoomar told McKenzie that his client, who lives at Ellerslie Plaza, Maraval with his mother, has been subjected to a “media campaign.”

The attorney added that Aleong, who has a degree in Information Technology, is a private consultant. Rajcoomar said that last week, Aleong became “a person of interest” and went to the police voluntarily to be interviewed by investigators. Rajcoomar then requested bail for Aleong. Prosecutor Sgt Rawle Ramharack had no objection to bail saying there was nothing on the police records to indicate the accused has any previous charges.

The charges against the accused arose out of an alleged incident outside the Brooklyn Bar in Woodbrook. Wight, the virtual complainant, has alleged that he was beaten with the flat side of a cutlass. A video purporting to show the alleged incident has gone viral online after it was uploaded to several social media websites including Facebook and Twitter. After McKenzie granted $25,000 bail to be approved by a Clerk of the Peace, Rajcoomar expressed concerns saying due to the time the accused was brought to court, the bail may not have been able to be processed before the close of the court’s business hours.

Rajcoomar added that his client is the son of a Government Minister.

But McKenzie said the Clerk of the Peace has to follow certain procedures when it comes to processing of bail. Rajcoomar then requested a cash alternative to the bail to which McKenzie agreed and set the cash own bail in the sum of $10,000.

The case was later adjourned to Tuesday October 9.