Jury shown video of bank withdrawals

Following Tuesday’s display of footage recorded at the crime scene at the residence of John and Angela Cropper, the jury yesterday had another task added to their plate, as more video footage was displayed before the court at the Cascade Triple Murder Trial. This time, members of the jury were shown footage recorded from Republic Bank’s west Tunapuna branch, where several transactions took place. On the witness stand yesterday was PC Andy Morris of the Police Service’s Audio Visual Unit. The State witness said he was directed by one of the investigating officers, Insp David Nedd, to view one of two VHS video tapes he had in his possession in January 2002. Morris said Insp Nedd kept the tape with the footage from Republic Bank’s Promenade Centre, while he was told to view footage from the Tunapuna branch. Following his instructions, Morris said he viewed the tape at a slower speed so as to view it properly.

Morris told the court that the footage, which was from December 12, 2001 at 2:05 am, held images of a young man in his 20s with curly hair. The young man, according to PC Morris, wore a jersey which bore the letters PHAT, and he also wore “three-quarter” pants. He said the person entered the ABM, approached the machine and conducted a transaction. The person then left the ABM room. Morris said he also looked at footage at 2:11 am on the same day. “The same gentleman re-entered the room and conducted another transaction before leaving again,” said PC Morris. After looking at the tape from the Tunapuna branch, PC Morris said he also viewed footage from Republic Bank’s Promenade Centre dated December 13, 2001. According to Morris, that footage showed a young man entering the ABM room. The young man, he said, had a chain with a cross pendant around his neck. He also appeared to have conducted a transaction at 4:44 pm on the said day.
Earlier, three employees of Republic Bank, called by the State, gave evidence. One employee, Alicia Awai, a senior ABM custodian attached to Republic Bank’s Promenade Centre, whose responsibilities include balancing the cash in the ABM at 1:30 every day, and the logging of tapes with recordings of ABM transactions, said she viewed footage recorded at the ABM machine on December 13, 2001. Awai said she viewed the tape in the company of a senior police officer at his request. Awai said specific time periods were viewed — 4:44 to 4:45 pm and 6:24 pm to 6:25 pm. Awai said there were seven transactions that went through to the account in question, but there were only four withdrawals. She explained that on six occasions, $200 cash was withdrawn from the ABM between 4:44 pm and 6.25 pm on December 13.

When running checks, it was discovered there was no such account matched with the account number which came up on the journal tape,” Awai explained.  As Awai continued her testimony, she explained that she was able to identify the account to be that of Angela and John Cropper, after she was asked to check on those particulars by the investigating officer. Awai said she was able to do so as the account and card number were recorded every time transactions were made. The Long Circular branch was the Croppers’ home branch. Hearing resumes on June 1.