3 to stand trial for kidnapping and theft

Two teenagers and a 24-year-old man were yesterday committed to stand trial for the  kidnapping of Wayne Lezama in 2002.

Joseph Williams, 17, of St Francois Valley Road, Belmont; Earl Lewis, 18, and Kent Issac, 24, both of Upper Erica Street, Laventille, appeared before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Ejenny Espinet. Lezama, a Diego Martin taxi driver, was reportedly plying his taxi from Independence Square on the night of August 16, 2002, with three passengers when they overpowered him and took control of his B-13 Sentra vehicle. The men were charged with kidnapping Lezama and theft of the car. The charges were laid by Cpl Oswald Rowley. Following the closing submissions of Defence Attorney Richard Mason, Espinet granted bail to all three in the sum of $90,000 and informed the men that they would stand trial at the next sitting of the High Court.