Alleged gang leader charged:

THE preliminary inquiry into charges of possession of arms, ammunition, and narcotics against alleged Gambino leader Barry Alfonso began yesterday.

Alfonso, 38, of Dorata Street, Laventille, has been in custody ever since he was arrested on March 1 this year, at his home.

He was granted $800,000 bail by Magistrate Avason Quinlan, but that was revoked by Madame Justice Alice Yorke-Soo Hon on an application of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

After several adjournments, the inquiry finally got off the ground yesterday. Alfonso is before Quinlan in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court on several charges. He is charged with being in possession of an AK-47 assault rifle, he not being a police officer, a member of the Defence Force, or the Customs and Excise department.

He is also charged with possession of one Smith and Wesson .357 magnum and a shotgun.

He is further charged with being in possession of 16 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, three rounds of .38 Special ammunition, three rounds of .357 hollow point ammo, 12 rounds of 12-gauge shotgun cartridges, and one round of 5.56 ammunition.

Alfonso is also charged with being in possession of 14 kilos of compressed marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

After reading the charges, Quinlan told the accused that the charges were laid indictably so he could not plead.

The first witness in the box was Constable Hamre Lakraj, of the Inter-Agency Task Force. The unit comprises members of the Police Service and Defence Force.

During his testimony, Lakraj tendered into evidence several weapons, ammunition, and 14 packets of marijuana. This included the deadly AK-47 assault rifle.

The seriousness of the occasion was broken when, during Lakraj’s evidence, he could not open a container with two guns and the ammunition. Nearly everyone sitting in court smiled as Lakraj and a Court and Process officer battled away trying to open the container.

It was eventually opened when police prosecutor Cpl Anand Ramesar broke the seal from the Forensic Science Centre.

When hearing ended yesterday, Lakraj was still giving evidence. He will return to the witness box on June 6. Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson is prosecuting, while Sophia Chote represents Alfonso.