No court on Carnival Monday and Tuesday

The court hearing the conspiracy to murder trial of Muslimeen leader Imam Yaseen Abu Bakr will not sit on Carnival Monday and Tuesday or Ash Wednesday. This was made clear yesterday by trial judge Justice Mark Mohammed in response to a query by lead prosecutor Sir Timothy Cassel QC. Sir Timothy said he wanted to know because he needed to attend to some business in London and implied that he could  do so over Carnival, if the Monday and Tuesday were available. Justice Mohammed explained that the High Court is closed on both Carnival days  because the majority of police officers  are assigned to Carnival duties.

When the matter was called yesterday morning, defence attorney Pamela Elder SC indicated to the court that she wanted to make certain legal submissions. This is usually done in the absence of the jury. The nine-member jury and five alternates who were sequestered since their selection last Thursday were then taken back to their accommodation with instruction from Justice Mohammed that they not be brought back to court until Thursday, by which time he expects to  rule on Elder’s submissions.

Elder started her submissions shortly after 9 am and continued until 2 pm with two short breaks. When hearing continues today, Elder will take up where she left off yesterday.  Just before  2 pm yesterday, Elder asked Justice Mohammed to adjourn  hearing  for the day so that she could attend to a matter which is connected to the trial. Elder and her junior, Owen Hinds Jr, expected to continue their submissions for another two hours today after which Sir Timothy will respond. Sir Timothy told the court that he is only expected to be about an hour in rebuttal to Elder.

Justice Mohammed indicated that after hearing both sides today he would take tomorrow to consider the submissions and rule on Thursday. Bakr, 63, is charged with conspiring with others on June 4, 2003, at Citrine Drive, Diamond Vale, Diego Martin, to murder Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah. The prosecuting team includes Sir Timothy, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson, senior prosecutor Wayne Rajbansie and George Busby.