PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Three men, including a municipal police officer, appeared in a magistrate’s court in Trinidad, charged with the murder of Municipal Police Corporal Anuska Eversley, on the very day she was laid to rest, following an assault on a San Fernando police station on April 19.

Municipal police officer Jivan “Bigs” Cooper, 28, construction worker Kwame Arnold, 20, and scrap iron dealer Nicholas “Nico” Ramdass, 24, appeared before Master Delicia Bethelmy, charged with the murder of Eversley.

They also face charges related to a massive cache of illegal firearms and ammunition, including more than 100 pistols and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition reportedly stolen during the assault on the station.

In addition, the men have been accused of robbing the deceased officer of government-issued firearms and ammunition and using violence against her.

In court, one of the defence attorneys told the court that extensive sensational and misleading publicity throughout social media could prejudice a potential jury pool and risk bias toward his client.

Police prosecutor Reagan Ramanan said he could not comment on social media publications but explained that the requested July 24 date for the submission of the file was due to it being extensive, comprising multiple statements, exhibits, photographs, video footage, interview notes, and a Cyber Crime Unit report. He noted that additional statements were still outstanding.

The accused were ordered to reappear in court on October 15 after being denied bail.

READ: Trinidadian cop, two others charged in police station attack