Man’s conviction quashed on appeal

A retrial has been ordered. In his appeal argued by attorneys Jagdeo Singh, Criston J Williams and Rhea Libert, Supersad complained of the judge’s handling of the case.

Five grounds of appeal were filed on Supersad’s behalf, arguing that a material irregularity occurred at the trial when the judge allowed the prosecution to place mere assertions of previous alleged conduct on his part as being evidence of a lack of creditworthiness.

Supersad’s lawyers also argued that the irregularity was further exacerbated when the trial judge failed properly to direct the jury on the issue of Supersad’s character. They also complained that the judge erred in law when he gave two different directions to the jury as to the pathway which they ought to adopt on their route to arriving on a verdict as well as making a similar error when he allowed the testimony of a police witness without giving a proper direction to the jury on how they should treat with that evidence.

Supersad was arrested on October 21, 2002, at the Pasea Main Road, Tunapuna, branch of FedEx by members of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) after they found him to be in possession of 4.5 kilogrammes of the drug hidden in a box to be shipped. In his defence, Supersad testified that he went to FedEx with another person to assist him in carrying the box but was unaware it contained cocaine. However, police officers who testified at the trial said no one was accompanying Supersad when he walked into the building. Prosecutor Mauricia Joseph appeared for the State at the appeal.