Coke accused fails to show in court

One of  three accused persons charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine in a Diplomatic Pouch failed to show in court yesterday, having been arrested on a maintenance warrant some hours earlier. Kurt Alexis was due to be present for a scheduled court hearing at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, but some hours earlier was arrested by police officers in the Central area during an exercise. A relative of  Alexis told the court he was arrested at his home in Chaguanas on a maintenance warrant  around 4 am, and as a result was due to appear before a Chaguanas magistrate yesterday morning.

Alexis is jointly charged with Bissoon Boodhai and Micha Smith with conspiracy to traffic cocaine in a pouch belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is alleged that during the period November 30, 2003 and May 8, 2004, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere, the three accused conspired together to traffic cocaine. Smith and Alexis are also charged with trafficking cocaine. When the matter was called yesterday, Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim ruled on a submission made earlier in the proceedings by attorney Rangee Dolsingh SC on the word “elsewhere” which is stated in the charge pertaining to his client, Boodhai. Hearing resumes on March 7.