Bakr trial put off, female juror ill

A FEMALE juror suffering from a migraine forced the early adjournment yesterday of the conspiracy to murder trial of Jamaat Al Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr. No evidence was taken yesterday as Justice Mark Mohammed, sitting in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court, adjourned hearing to this morning. When the case resumed yesterday morning, everyone was expecting PC Michael Veronique to be further cross-examined by lead defence attorney Pamela Elder SC. Instead, Justice Mohammed informed the court that a female juror was very ill and could not sit and concentrate on the evidence in the court. Newsday learnt that the juror was suffering from a migraine.

Mohammed said he understood the problem with the juror and advised other jurors to report it to the court if they do not feel well. He told them that they should not just sit there feeling unwell and attempt to sit on the case. “That must not happen. Bring it to the attention of the court,” the judge added. As a result, Mohammed advised the attorneys on both sides that the case would have to be postponed until this morning. The jurors were then whisked away to a Port-of-Spain hotel where they remain sequestered. PC Veronique will be further cross-examined today.

Meanwhile, lead prosecutor, British Queen’s Counsel, Sir Timothy Cassel, told the judge that the prosecution has just four more witnesses to call. They are two prisons officers who received summonses on Tuesday; Supt Ruthven Paul, the man who arrested Bakr on August 21, 2003, and the main investigator, Cpl Jayson Forde. Bakr, 63, is charged with conspiring with others to murder former Jamaat members Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah on June 4, 2003 at Citrine Drive, Diamond Vale, Diego Martin.