I wanted to set up the policeman

ATTORNEY Wilston Campbell testified in the San Fernando High Court yesterday, that his giving PC Curt Simon $1,500 was part of a plan he (Campbell) had in mind, to set up Simon, after the policeman asked Campbell for a bribe. “I didn’t know Simon had a plan for me as well. As it turned out, Simon’s plan flew before mine,” Campbell told the judge and jury yesterday as he continued testimony in his own defence against a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice. On Wednesday, Campbell testified that PC Simon requested $1,500 to drop a case against two CXC students accused of cheating in their examinations. The State’s case is that Campbell was held in a sting operation involving PC Simon, then ACP Trevour Raymond (now retired) and Cpl Thorpe on July 18, 1995.

The attorney is alleged to have given Simon $1,500 for Simon’s assistance in having the prosecution witnesses not be present in court, so the case against Campbell’s clients — two students charged with cheating in the CXC exams — be dropped. Yesterday, Campbell recalled that moments before he met PC Simon at the Cabin Pub on Keate Street, San Fernando, he asked his secretary to count the money and record the serial numbers of the $100 notes. This, Campbell testified, was to be his evidence against Simon. “I decided to follow him back to the CID and report that he had solicited the money. I would have called my secretary to bring the list to confirm that the money he had on him was the money I gave him.

I didn’t know Simon had a plan for me as well,” Campbell testified. “Perhaps at that time, I had tunnel vision and was only seeing my side (of the plan). I did not contemplate a backlash or a trap being laid for me.” Campbell admitted that while at the pub, he had second thoughts about giving the money to Simon. The accused attorney recalled that he informed a police corporal of his plan to set up Simon and the corporal advised him against it. “I indicated to him (the police corporal) that I was about to get some revenge, or words to that effect. He (the police corporal) being a Muslim, told me I should leave Simon to Allah,” Campbell said. Campbell is represented by Senior Counsel Desmond Allum, with attorneys Subhas Panday and Brent Ali. State attorney Tricia Hudlin began cross-examination of Campbell, and will continue on Monday.