Court hears of cocaine in shoe soles

Retired Sgt Michael Charles yesterday testified that one of the women on trial, Deanah John-Finn broke down in tears when questioned by police after she was held at Piarco International Airport on February 10, 2000.

John-Finn, 29, of Claxton Bay and Grace Pierre-Holder, 68, of Gonzales are before an eight- member jury in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Criminal Court, where Justice Carla Brown-Antoine is presiding.

John-Finn was one of four persons arrested by police on that day. The two others were Michelle Lesley, who pleaded guilty to possession of the cocaine in the magistrates court on January 30, 2008, and Jason Connell who was found guilty by a magistrate on May 11, 2006. He was fined $25,000, which he paid forthwith as ordered by the court. Lesley was fined $15,000.

Charles yesterday produced the shoes worn by Connell, in which cocaine was found hidden in the soles. Charles said when questioned, John-Finn said she got the shoes from Lesley.

In previous testimony, another prosecution witness Sgt William Montrichard, who arrested and charged Pierre-Holder, testified that Lesley was Pierre-Holder’s daughter.

Theodore Guerra, SC, and John Heath are representing Pierre- Holder, while Ravi Rajcoomar is representing John-Finn.

Renuka Rambhajan, Taterani Seecharan, Rehanna Ali and Simone Jaggernauth are also prosecuting. The trial continues today.