Witness: Accused killers have police links

ALTHOUGH he knew his three assailants on the night he was shot several times about the body, a State witness yesterday testified that he did not disclose their identity to investigating officers because he knew the men had links with police officers. Under cross-examination by defence attorney Sophia Chote, witness Erwin Deyal maintained that he and his friend Junior “Ombie” Frederick were ambushed by Andy “Sudan” Brown, Bryan “Soldier Barry” Barrington and Sebastian “Bassie” Joseph at the corner of Mentor Alley and Fatima Trace in Laventille on the night of November 12, 2001. He was severely wounded and Frederick was killed.

However, he said, on that night he did not tell the police who the men were because he knew they had “police friends.” He denied claims by Chote that he did not know who had ambushed him and Frederick and that he was either “mistaken or lying.” Brown, Joseph and Barrington are before Madame Justice Alice Yorke Soo Hon at the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court charged with Frederick’s murder. They are being represented by attorneys Chote, Michelle Solomon, Wayne Sturge and Ian Stuart Brook. Prosecutor Alexander Prince appears for the State. When hearing resumes today Deyal will be cross-examined by Brook.