3 prison officers to stand trial for Cooper murder

THREE prison officers were yesterday committed to stand trial at the next sitting of the Port-of-Spain Assizes for the murder of inmate Anton Cooper who was found dead in a cell at Golden Grove Prison, Arouca, on June 26, 2001.

Magistrate Gail Gonzales, sitting in the Arima First Magistrates’ Court, gave her decision after she found the State had made out a prima facie case against the three prison officers: Devindra Ramdial, Anson Griffith and Dave George, The preliminary inquiry into Cooper’s death began on January 30 and the prosecution, represented by State attorney Alexander Prince, called 12 witnesses. Three inmates were among the prosecution witnesses to testify.  They are Barrymore Briggs, Victor Flores and Lenny Brewster.  The complainant in the matter, ASP Gregory Correira also testified for the State. The prison officers were represented by attorneys Gilbert Peterson, Prakash Ramadhar, Owen Hinds and Carl Mathis, the lone attorney in court yesterday.

During the preliminary inquiry the defence team called three witnesses on behalf of the three accused prison officers. They are infirmary officer Neil Bhagan, senior prison officer Renwick Kalloo and University of the West Indies professor Hubert Daisley, who is also a pathologist and medical practitioner. Ramadhar had indicated his intention to call a fourth witness, Carrera inmate Keith Julien, but this never materialised. He was due to give evidence on April 25. The State closed its case on February 14, and two weeks later defence attorney Gilbert Peterson made a no-case submission.