‘Chinee’ no State witness

FORMER Deputy DPP Rangee Dolsingh yesterday accused the media of jeopardising the life of one of his clients.

Speaking at the Port-of-Spain First Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet, Dolsingh said that one of the daily newspapers had placed the life of Richard “Chinee” Kirton in danger by the publication of an article on January 29, which stated that Kirton had turned State witness. “He never will be and has no intention of turning State witness,” Dolsingh said. “This is a misprint and I thought I should air it to get it corrected,” he added.

Kirton was jointly charged with several other men for the kidnapping and false imprisonment of  teenagers Yves Ayoung Chee and Benedict Barrett, Port-of-Spain psychologist, Ronald John and Curepe businessman Dennis Persad-Jodhan. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls on October 17, 2003 and was granted bail in the sum of $400,000 to cover all charges.  Ayoung Chee and Barrett were abducted when they were returning home from a nightclub and were falsely imprisoned at a house at Mon Repos Road, Petit Valley. The offences allegedly occurred between July 17 and 26.

John, the brother of former Member of Parliament for St Joseph Carlos John, was abducted outside his Woodbrook home on March 26, 2003, and rescued days later from a house at Fairley Street, Tunapuna. Persad-Jodhan was abducted outside his Evans Street, Curepe home on December 23, 2002. His body was found five days later on a plot of agricultural land just south of the Aranjuez traffic light along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway. Sheldon “Skelly” Lovell, Shawn “Gumbo” Vincent and Brent “Small Brent” Danglade were charged with the murder, and on January 19 were committed to stand trial at the next sitting of the Assizes. Another man, Joel “Footy” Phillips, turned State witness and was granted immunity against prosecution on December 30, 2003.

State attorney Tricia Hudlin and the defence team, which comprised Dolsingh, Ian Brooks and Patrick Godson-Phillips, indicated that they were ready to proceed with the matter involving the kidnapping of Persad-Jodhan. No State attorney has yet been assigned to the matter regarding the kidnapping of Ayoung Chee and Barrett. Both matters were adjourned to February 12.