Hart’s Cut Bay murder trial

The security guard who witnessed the last rendezvous of Alicia Chunu and her married lover Menon Hingoo, whose murder Chunu is on trial for, gave evidence yesterday at the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court.

Security guard Dianne Hypolite, of Piquette Street, Lower Santa Cruz, told the court she was on duty at the WASA sub-station at Small Port, Chaguaramas, at about 5.30 pm on May 21, 2002, when she observed Chunu and a man in a green vehicle driving along the road leading to the Coast Guard Base at Hart’s Cut Bay. She said the vehicle, which was moving slowly, turned around and returned to the main road.

About 15 minutes later, Hypolite said, the couple drove along the road leading up the hill to Alice Point.

The witness, who worked throughout the night, said she did not see the car return from Alice Point anytime during the period she was at the sub-station. According to Hypolite, at about seven that evening, a police vehicle drove a short way up the hill before turning and driving toward the Coast Guard Base. Under cross-examination by defence attorney Ravi Rajcoomar the witness maintained she was sure it was the same couple in the car when they were returning from the road leading to the base.

She dismissed claims by Rajcoomar that she had been mistaken about the identity of the woman in the car.

Hingoo’s wife of 22 years Jasodra Hingoo and his co-worker Rajendranauth Ramcharan also gave evidence yesterday.

The body of Hingoo, a San Juan father of three, was found floating off the base and his car was found parked at Alice Point on May 22, 2002.

When hearing resumes today state attorney Debbie-Ann Bassaw is expected to call six more witnesses.