No one held in connection

Phillips is a witness in a kidnapping and murder case against Sheldon “Skelly” Lovell. As such National Security Minister, Martin Joseph explained in Parliament yesterday, Phillips was a volunteer, and was not being held against his will.

Joseph made the disclosure while answering a question posed to him by Princes Town MP, Subhas Panday. Joseph said in September 2003, Phillips volunteered to participate in the ministry’s justice protection programme in accordance with the existing rules.

“On the basis of periodic reviews of the risk and threat assessment undertaken on Phillips, he was permitted to leave the safe house from time to time. “He returned to the safe house without incident until December 12, 2005, when he left the safe house and failed to return as scheduled. “It was also expected at that time that Phillips would have returned to the programme before the case was brought to court.

“Given the voluntary nature of the programme and the fact that he did not escape, no individual has been held culpable for the failure of Phillips to return to the justice protection protection. Law enforcement officers however are assiduously seeking to ascertain his whereabouts.” Joseph further added, “Phillips was a volunteer participant of the witness programme and his escape from custody is therefore not applicable in this case as he was not being held against his will.

Asked why the public was not immediately alerted about the escape, the minister replied that a public announcement of Phillips’ disappearance was not deemed prudent at that time.

“The public was not informed because the identity of participants in the justice protection programme is highly classified for obvious reasons. It was not in the interest of national security to immediately inform the public that Phillips had not returned to the safe house.”

Attorney General, John Jeremie, in another related question said the DPP was aware that Phillips, the state’s main witness, who was also an accomplice to the crime, was in protective custody. He said it was an expressed condition of Phillips’ immunity that he subject himself to the protective custody arrangement.

Jeremie said by a notice on June 26, 2006, the DPP was made aware that the matter involving Lovell and the others was discontinued prior to the jury being empanelled.