Kidnapping of US war veteran

A TECHNICIAN/TAXI DRIVER yesterday consented within minutes to voluntarily go to the US to face trial for taking US war veteran Balram “Balo” Maharaj hostage.

Winston Gittens, 38, appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court charged with conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death, and hostage taking resulting in death.

Gittens, of La Fortune Trace, Laventille Road, San Juan, was arrested by Sgt Wendell Williams of the local Interpol branch, who later served him with a copy of the provisional warrant for his arrest on the US charges.

Mc Nicolls read the charges to him and asked him if he was contesting it, or consenting to the extradition. At that time, Gittens was without a lawyer. But he said he would go to the US to face his trial. Attorney Richard Clarke-Wills appeared later for Gittens and asked him if he was willing to go to the US. Clarke-Wills then reported to the court that Gittens agreed to be extradited.

Gittens went into the witness box and confirmed that no one forced him, threatened him, or promised him anything to go to the US.

Mc Nicolls then issued the order for Gittens to be extradited to the United States District of Columbia, Washington DC, to be tried. Gittens was the second person to consent to be extradited to the US.

On May 1, truck driver Russell “Saucy” Joseph agreed to be extradited on the same charges.

Gittens and Joseph are two of eight persons wanted by the US for the kidnapping of Maharaj. Five others were served with provisional warrants two weeks ago — David Suchit, Zion Clarke, Private Ricardo De Four, Sgt Leon Nurse, and Kevon Demerieux.

Their cases were adjourned to May 11. The US Grand Jury indicted the eight accused two weeks ago in Washington DC.

Maharaj, 62, of Mount Vernon, New York, was kidnapped outside the Samaan Tree Bar, Aranjuez, on April 5, 2005, and a $3 million ransom demanded.

His remains were found in two barrels inside the Santa Cruz forest on January 9 this year. To date, ten persons including three soldiers have been charged with Maharaj’s murder.