3 policemen summoned

Levon Julien of Las Alturas, Morvant was granted permission by Justice Carol Gobin to bring contempt proceedings against three police officers who allegedly refused to comply with a judge’s habeas corpus order last Christmas Eve. When the matter was called yesterday, Insp Harvey Jawahir of Port-of- Spain CID, PC Stephen Smith of the Homicide Investigations Bureau and PC Hercules of the Central Police Station, were in court .

Acting Insp Clevon Brown was also summoned, but was mistakenly identified as the officer in charge of the CPS when Julien was arrested. He was expected to bring the station diary to court .

Brown, however, said he has been on pre-retirement leave since November, was not in charge of CPS in December and does not have access to the diary .

It was disclosed that Ag ACP Billy was the officer in charge of CPS at the time .

Attorneys Darrel Allahar, Chase Pegus and Ajay Babal who represent Julien, were granted permission to summon Billy, Supt Ancil Corbette of the Homicide Division and another officer .

They are expected to come to court on March 28, before Justice Gobin. Julien spent ten days in custody before being released after Justice James Aboud ordered police to bring him to court on December 24 .

His attorneys argue that police disobeyed Aboud’s order that Julien be brought to the court, on two occasions, to give effect to the habeas corpus order granted on December 23. Julien was arrested on December 13, on murder enquiries .

Justice Aboud first ordered Julien be brought to court at 11 am on December 24, but PC Smith told the court the suspect was at the time before an identification parade .

Justice Aboud then ordered Julien be brought to court at 12.45 pm .

Justice Aboud himself contacted the police station, where PC Hercules stated Julien had been been released .

Aboud’s telephone conversation with the officer was recorded and forms part of the contempt proceedings as well as the court recording of the case .