Who is the mystery reporter?

A MYSTERY freelance reporter was the centre of attention at the conspiracy to murder trial of Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr yesterday. On a day when the High Court failed to swear in any more jurors, the appearance and then the disappearance of the mystery reporter caught the attention of Justice Mark Mohammed sitting in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court. On Wednesday, during the questioning of potential jurors, Justice Mohammed agreed with the application of lead defence attorney Pamela Elder SC that the public be put out of court. Members of the media were also put out. When hearing resumed yesterday, Elder asked that the media be allowed to sit in during the in-camera proceedings, with a warning that nothing be reported.

The message was relayed to members of the media who promptly entered the courtroom. As soon as the reporters were seated, Elder said there was a strange person sitting at the media table, whom she believed was not a reporter. Mohammed inquired about the stranger who got up and said he was a freelance journalist. Mohammed then asked, “who do you work with?” The mystery journalist replied, “I work with any one who buys my reports.” The courtroom got completely silent after the judge told the mystery reporter to take his seat. With a perplexed look on his face, Justice Mohammed decided to rescind his decision to allow members of the media to sit in during the in-camera proceedings.

The reporters, including the mystery journalist, promptly left the courtroom. While journalists waited in the foyer of the building, the mystery reporter left and never returned. The mystery reporter, according to Elder, was first spotted on the first day of the hearing on January 4. But she only raised the matter yesterday when the individual was seated again at the media table. Even uniformed members of the Court and Process Branch started looking for the mystery reporter after the episode in court. No one knew for sure who he was, some saying he was a member of the Police Service.

Inside the courtroom, 12 potential jurors were questioned yesterday by Elder, with some questions posed to them by the judge. In the end, three were exempted, one was challenged peremptorily, and eight others challenged for cause. The questioning started at 9.10 am and when court was adjourned at 3.45 pm, there was no addition to the five jurors who were sworn in on Wednesday. Mohammed indicated to the other potential jurors that additional questioning would be done today in an attempt to find the final four jurors to make up the nine-member panel as well as four alternates. Mohammed reminded the jurors that the process was long and they must be prepared for the long haul.