US coming after Doon again

State prosecutor George Busby informed Justice Anthony Carmona in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court yesterday that there will be fresh proceedings for Doon. Doon, one of the five persons wanted by the United States for conspiracy to import drugs into that country, walked out of court a free man on Tuesday after the requesting state withdrew the extradition request.

Doon, who was out on bail, left the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates Court smiling after Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls discharged him.

Two others, Hafeez Mohammed and Ronald Rackal were extradited to Florida on May 5. Indrawatee Dwarika lost her battle for extradition and was escorted to Miami yesterday.

Jitman Sookdeo skipped town and is believed to be hiding out in South America.

An issue arose recently when it was discovered that the evidence given by Sgt Baldeo Nanan at the preliminary inquiry before Magistrate Nanette Forde-John in the Chaguanas Magistrates Court was different to what was presented by the US in the extradition documents.

Rajiv Persad, who represented Doon, felt the contradiction was too grave for the extradition to proceed.

The requesting party admitted there was an error to the documents, saying there was no inconsistency in the evidence of Sgt Nanan.

Yesterday, Busby told the court that the error will be corrected and fresh proceedings will be laid. Doon and Andre Ravi Persad appeared before Justice Carmona charged with trafficking 542 kilos of cocaine at Orange Field Road, Carapichaima, on January 22, 2001. Justice Carmona was seeking the whereabouts of Indrawatee Dwarika who failed to attend court on Wednesday.

Busby informed the court that Dwarika was in custody awaiting her extradition to the US. Attorney Om Lalla who appeared for Doon, confirmed this, saying he even brought Dwarika’s son to court to verify that his mother did not wilfully evade the court.

With three of the six accused in Miami, and Sookdeo having skipped town, Justice Carmona wanted to know the status of the case against Doon and Persad.

Busby said the matter rests with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Hearing was adjourned to July 19 for a hearing on the position of the case.