PC TAKES THE STAND

Police Constable Avalon Frank testified yesterday that two days before three men attempted to kill legal secretary Patricia Cox,  he accompanied Veronica Rostant to the office of attorney Joseph Melville, for whom Cox worked, to enquire from Melville about monies from two insurance policies and the disappearance of furniture from a house at Small Street, Laventille. Melville was handling the affairs of Rostant’s son’s estate, Pvt Richard Rostant, who was killed in a vehicular accident in 1996. Her son had left her two insurance policies, one valued $95,000 and the other for $40,000. Melville and taxi driver Hilton Winchester, are before Justice Melville Baird, in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court,  charged with conspiracy to murder Cox, attempted murder, kidnapping and assaulting her occasioning a wound. Jason Holder, who is also charged with the two, is not before the court because he cannot be found. A fourth man, Ainsley Alleyne, who was also charged, turned State witness but died sometime after testifying at the Magistrates’ Court. They are alleged to have committed these offences on June 28, 2001, at Cumberland Hill.

Senior State prosecutor Trevor Ward had told the jury in his opening address that Melville wanted Cox killed because he was fearful that she was going to talk to the police about a fraud matter he was allegedly involved in. PC Uric Arneaud also testified yesterday that he had arrested Holder on July 6, 2001, at Alfred Richard Street, St James and Winchester,  on July 21, 2001, while Winchester was sitting in his car at Aboud Circular Drive, St James. But Winchester’s lawyer, Thomas Cunningham, suggested that Winchester was arrested in a house while attending a christening and was taken to a toilet in that house and threatened by Arneaud. Veronica Rostant, of Petit Valley, testified that she had gone to see Melville on June 26, 2001 about her son’s estate. Melville had indicated to her that he would have the monies from the policies ready for her by June 29, 2001. However, she recalled Melville telephoning her on June 29, enquiring what time she would be coming to his office. She was planning on going to his office about 10 am. He suggested that she did not come because Cox did not show up. He later visited her at her home, enquiring from her when last she had seen Cox. Rostant had last seen Cox on Tuesday.

She further recalled that Melville again telephoned her about 2 pm, that same day,  saying that he was leaving office and nobody would be there. Arneaud told the nine-member jury that on the night of June 28, 2001, Ainsley Le Tren made a report at the St James Police Station. As a result of that report,  he and other policemen accompanied Le Tren to Cumberland Hill and searched the area with torchlights. He said he saw something at the edge of a cliff but because of the dangerous terrain he elected not to approach it at night. The following morning, he returned to Cumberland Hill and  discovered they were a pair of white panties, a blue  brazier and a  striped shirt. Later that day, when he returned to the station, he saw Cox, who was dressed in a robe. Hearing continues today.