Another piece of evidence goes missing in lawyer’s trial

EYEBROWS were raised yesterday in the High Court trial of attorney Wilston Campbell ac-cused of perverting the course of justice when the jury heard that yet another piece of evidence had gone missing. The exhibit, submitted to the court during the testimony of Campbell, is a list which Campbell said were the serial numbers of the 15 hundred dollar bills which the accused attorney said he gave to PC Kurt Simon on the day of the allegation. Earlier in the trial, the prosecution produced 14 of the 15 bills which Campbell gave to PC Simon on July 18, 1995 at Cabin Pub, Keate Street, San Fernando.

Campbell is accused of bribing PC Simon with $1,500 for the police officer’s assistance in having a case against two students accused of cheating in CXC examinations dismissed in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. Yesterday the list of the serial numbers could not be produced by the court when one of Campbell’s attorneys, Subhas Panday, asked for it to be shown to a defence witness. Judy McClean, Campbell’s legal secretary for 12 years, was called as a defence witness in the case yesterday. She testified that she checked the $1,500, then made a list of the serial numbers on Campbell’s instructions.

McClean said she also made four copies of the list, one of which she kept. Panday then asked trial judge Prakash Moosai for the list to be shown to McClean. The court’s clerk made a futile search through the bundle of documents and not being able to locate it, stood up and spoke to the judge. Justice Moosai told Panday, “We seem to have some difficulty with the exhibit.” Panday then whispered something in the ear of lead defence attorney Senior Counsel Desmond Allum, then told the court he would return to the issue of the exhibit and continued asking other questions of McClean. Campbell testified last week that he planned to set up PC Simon with $1,500 after the police constable solicited a bribe from him. The case continues today in the San Fer-nando Second Criminal Assizes.