Forensic officer testifies today

A forensic science officer with expertise in firearms, ammunition and tool marks will continue his testimony before Justice Alice York Soo-Hon when the Clint Huggins Murder Trial continues in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court today.

In his testimony before the court last Friday, Derek Sanker said he submitted three certificates of analysis to the police. He indicated that the first certificate dealt with 19 pellets that were reportedly discharged from a shotgun, the second concerned his examination of the burnt car in which Huggins’ body was found and the third dealt with four pieces of circular cardboard material which he said were once part of a 16 bore cartridge.  Sanker is expected to be cross-examined by attorneys for Junior Phillip, Leslie and Arnold Huggins who have been accused of murdering the former Special Reserve Policeman at Mt Hope on Carnival Tuesday 1996.

Last week, two police officers, Sgt Hendron Moses and Insp David Nedd, gave conflicting testimonies about whether or not Phillip was offered a deal to become a State witness. Insp Nadir Khan dismissed suggestions from the defence that then Prime Minister Basdeo Panday was putting pressure on police to solve the murder but admitted that Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agents were offering assistance to the police. Attorneys Osbourne Charles SC, Ian Stuart Brook and Keith Scotland are representing the accused. Wayne Rajbansie is prosecuting the matter for the State.