CRAIGWELL COMING TO TESTIFY

TREVOR CRAIGWELL is coming to Trinidad to testify at the Akiel Chambers Inquest. But he will not be here in time for the next hearing scheduled for December 9. Craigwell says that both he and his son Christopher, both of whom attended the pool party when Akiel disappeared more than five years ago, will be in Trinidad in mid-January and will be available to testify.

By letter dated November 26, Craigwell’s attorney, Fulton Wilson, informed the Clerk of the Peace, St George West Magistracy, of his client’s intention to appear at the Inquest. Copies of the letter were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson, Desmond Allum SC and Donna Prowell, both of whom are seeking the interest of the family of the dead 11-year-old schoolboy.

Wilson’s letter states:
“I would be grateful if the contents of this letter could be brought to the attention of the presiding Coroner sitting in the above-captioned matter. “I act on behalf of Mr Trevor Craigwell and his son whose names have been called as witnesses in the above-captioned matter, and who both reside in the United States. “Mr Craigwell spoke to me via the telephone on Monday last (November 24, 2003) and informed me that he will be in the country from mid-January 2004, and is willing to give evidence then. He has instructed me to inform you that his son is also willing to give evidence. “Mr Craigwell has requested that in the case of his son, that the State provide a return ticket to the United States and accommodation for the duration of his son’s stay in Trinidad. “I will be attending the next hearing on December 9, 2003, to formally inform the inquest of the above,” Wilson stated.

Coroner Sherman Mc Nicolls, sitting at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, is presiding over the Inquest to determine how Akiel Chambers died. Akiel, a student of Blackman’s Private School, Maraval, attended a pool party at the home of businessman Charles James at Balata Terrace, Haleland Park, Maraval, on May 23, 1998. He was discovered missing that day, but his body was discovered in the swimming pool the following morning, although searches had been made the night before the body was found. When the Inquest was called on November 18, Coroner Sherman Mc Nicolls enquired whether the investigator PC Clive Alvarez had made any headway in locating both Craigwell and his son who now live in Connecticut, USA. Alvarez said he made enquiries at the Immigration Department and learned that Craigwell last left Trinidad on July 27 this year. The Coroner said he did not want to close off the Inquest without the testimony of Craigwell and his son. Mc Nicolls said he was giving the authorities three weeks in which to locate the Craigwells.

Craigwell, 49, a businessman, gave a statement to the Maraval police on May 25, 1998. In the statement, Craigwell said he accompanied his children, Christopher, ten, Anthony, seven, and Nathaniel, five, to the James’ residence on May 23, 1998 for the party for Carrie James. He admitted supervising the children who were in and around the pool. He said it was around 5.10 pm on May 23, 1998, that Akiel was discovered missing. No one was in the pool at that time. He said some parents were looking for Akiel but they saw no one. Craigwell said other parents were searching the premises. He could not remember seeing Akiel bathing in the pool, but someone said that Akiel left the compound in a car. “This to me was a bit strange because his clothes were on the compound,” Craigwell related to the police.

Craigwell said he eventually left the James’ residence. But around midnight, he said he received a call from the Maraval police who wanted to know if he knew anything about a child who was missing from a party at Haleland Park. “I informed the police that I was in fact at the pool party on Saturday afternoon and I was aware that a child went missing, however, I did not have any information as to the whereabouts of the missing person.” Craigwell said that around 6.15 am on May 24, 1998, he returned to Haleland Park and checked on some tracks in the event that the child may have strayed and ended up in the bushes. He said he received a call later that morning from Mrs Annelore James that Akiel’s body was found in the pool. He returned to Haleland Park with his wife and saw Akiel’s body.