Charge against Melville dismissed

ATTORNEY Joseph Melville, who was charged with perverting the course of public justice. had his matter dimissed by Port-of-Spain  Magistrate Melvin Daniel yesterday. The magistrate’s decision followed the state conceding to the defence’s submission that a prima facie case had not been made out against Melville.

Melville was charged with perverting the course of public justice by “knowingly and wilfully” attempting to tender into evidence a false affidavit of Crystal Natasha Primus on June 25, 2001. It is alleged Melville caused Primus to change her testimony in the affidavit and then attempted to tender that affidavit before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls. The application was refused following an objection by state attorney Alexander Prince. The evidence was referred to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) who forwarded it to the police. Following investigations, Melville was charged by Cpl Rocky Mohammed of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau.

Melville was represented by attorneys Ken Sagar and Thomas Cunningham. Nadia James appeared on behalf of the state. The state closed its case yesterday after Prince, the final witness, gave evidence. Prince was cross-examined by Sagar, after which the defence made their closing submission. Sagar told the magistrate the prosecution had failed to prove that the evidence Primus gave in the affidavit was false. He said this proved that Melville did not “knowingly and wilfully” attempt to tender a false affidavit before the Chief Magistrate.