Strokes for Laventille ‘bad boys’

JAMAAT AL MUSLIMEEN leader Yasin Abu Bakr, who is on trial for conspiracy to murder, conducts his own court at Mucurapo Road. If he brings in a suspect and that person is found guilty, that person is given strokes and also made to pay blood money to the person (s) he has injured. Bakr has given strokes in the past. One day in May 2003, he called in 220 people from Laventille and administered 300 strokes to them. He said at the time, people were committing offences in Laventille. After he administered the strokes at his Friday Juma prayer meeting, Bakr said there were no murders in Laventille.

In a telephone interview with Power 102 on May 27, 2003, Bakr defended the decision to expel Salim Rasheed, Zaki Aubaidah and Kasim Rasheed from the Jamaat. Apart from expelling the trio, Bakr said he sent out a ‘‘warrant’’ for Salim, and when Salim is brought in and if he is found guilty, he will be given strokes. An edited version of the CD recording of that programme was admitted into evidence yesterday before Justice Mark Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court. It was played for the nine-member jury and five alternates. The CD recording was tendered through Steve Anthony Khan, Production Manager at Power 102.

As usual, the courtroom was packed to capacity. The recording was played for everyone to hear. Although parts of the recording were difficult to understand at times, there was 100 percent attention. Khan was expecting Salim and Kasim that morning, but Kasim stayed away. Zaki came in his place. During the show, Khan said he called Bakr to respond to some of the statements made on air by Salim and Zaki. He was told that Salim mentioned that there were elements in the Jamaat involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities. Bakr replied, “well, he would probably know because they’re probably his friends, I guess. So he would probably know.” Although Salim said he was still a member of the Jamaat, Bakr said that was not true. As for Zaki, Bakr said this individual was married to the daughter of Anisa Abu Bakr. “These two people (Salim and Zaki) are like my children and so I will not assassinate them, you know, by words or otherwise.”

Bakr accused Salim of lying, saying that all the members of the administrative body of the Jamaat voted to expel them. He felt sorry for them so he found a way out, religiously, to open the door for them to get away. “Against the wishes of the entire administration who voted to expel them, I went beyond the boundary to save them from expulsion, “ the Jamaat leader added. Bakr accused Salim and Zaki of neglecting their families. He said Zaki was living in his house — a house he built for Anisa’s daughter. “He never yet come and one day lift up a bag of cement, although I requested. If he say that he will drop. His tongue will fall out of his mouth if he say that is not true because my wife will testify, everybody who know will testify. Ask him when last he gave his wife any money.”

Bakr accused Zaki of fleeing the country. The Jamaat leader said he had been taking care of Zaki’s two children. He did the same thing for Salim’s children. He said he took Salim off the street at age 15. “I mind him like his father,” Bakr added. During the programme, Bakr said Salim was destined for hell. When Khan was completed, Sir Timothy Cassel QC, the lead prosecutor, informed the court that he had three police officers to call. But lead defence attorney Pamela Elder SC complained, saying that according to the list of the order of the prosecution witnesses, Brent Miller should have been the next witness. “How can Mr Cassel move the order without telling me?” she asked. Elder said she was preparing for Miller, the State’s star witness, and this needed careful preparation and execution. “I was anxiously waiting for Brent Miller. Bring Brent Miller, this can’t be right.”

Cassel said he could not reveal the reason why Miller and Brent Danglade were not in court yesterday. He said he did not want to have the two Brents waiting around the court. He plans calling Danglade on Monday. Elder replied, “it is a good thing I asked. I was preparing for Brent Miller. Mr Cassel would have come here on Monday and dropped Brent Danglade on me. “Is he speaking in a forked tongue?” she asked. Hearing ended abruptly without Cassel calling the three police officers.

Bakr complains of discrimination

YASIN ABU BAKR feels he is being discriminated against because of the continued refusal of Justice Mark Mohammed to adjourn hearings early on Fridays so he can perform his religious duties as an Imam. When hearing resumed yesterday, lead defence attorney Pamela Elder SC renewed her request for hearing to end around midday, so that Bakr could attend Juma at Mucurapo Road. Justice Mohammed said although he granted a day off last Friday because of Eid Ul-Adha, he had to balance the situation.

He decided against adjourning the case early yesterday, saying he intended to sit until 2.30 pm. Elder said she wanted to place on the record that Bakr feels he is being discriminated against. She said her client feels the court will not sit after 6 pm on Fridays to facilitate the Seventh Day Adventist, or on weekends. “It is a genuine feeling,” she added. Justice Mohammed said the last time the court sat after 6 pm on a Friday and/or on weekends was in the 1980s. “I do not think it is appropriate at this time to grant the adjournment. Maybe, we could sit at 7.30 am on Fridays to facilitate this,” the judge wondered.

Lead Prosecutor Sir Timothy Cassel QC said he could not guarantee getting witnesses to court at 7.30 am. Justice Mohammed said the court can sit earlier to facilitate the request. Elder agreed, but he took note of her observation. hearing did not go until 2.30 pm, however. Elder was taken by surprise when Cassel announced that he had three police witnesses to call instead of Brent Miller, which was stated on a list of witnesses. As a result, hearing ended at 12.25 pm allowing Bakr, his relatives and supporters to hustle down to Mucurapo Road for juma.

WHO’S WHO

THE ACCUSED

Yasin Abu Bakr, leader of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen

THE CHARGE

Conspiring with Brent “Big Brent” Miller, David “Buffy” Millard, Dwight, Crock, Skins, and Damien, on June 4, 2003 at Citrine Drive, Diamond Vale, Diego Martin, to murder Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah.

THE COURT

Justice Mark Mohammed - Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court

THE PROSECUTION

Sir Timothy Cassel QC, Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson, Senior State attorney Wayne Rajbansie and State attorney George Busby

THE DEFENCE

Pamela Elder SC and Owen Hinds Jr.