Killing at police headquarters

THE much-anticipated visit to the area where Police Constable Carlos Guerra was shot on the night of August 11, 2005, will not come off again.

Coroner Sherman Mc Nicolls said there was no need for the inquest court to visit the offices of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad at the old Police Headquarters building.

Earlier in the inquest, Israel Khan SC, who represents PC Sheldon Narine, and Rangee Dolsingh SC who appears for the Guerra family, indicated that they wanted to visit the AKS office to get a first hand view of where Guerra was when he was shot, and where Narine was when his mini Uzi gun went off.

But yesterday, Khan changed his mind, saying there was no need to do so. He said the drawing from the police draughtsman told the story. But Dolsingh still insisted that he wanted the court to see the area. Mc Nicolls was not convinced and said there was no need to go to the AKS office.

But Dolsingh said that before the inquest comes to an end, he would like forensic analyst Derrick Sankar and the pathologist to give evidence at the inquest. Mc Nicolls agreed and asked that both persons be present to give evidence when the inquest resumes on Monday.

Just one witness testified yesterday. Cpl Lester Kerr, a crime scenes specialist, said he was at his office on August 12, 2005 when he received certain instructions and went to the AKS office. On entering that room, he saw blood on the floor on one side and a trail of blood leading to another side of the room.

Kerr said he found a mini Uzi gun lying on the floor. He also found live ammunition close to the Uzi. He also found nine spent shells on the floor. There were also metal fragments. He also saw indentations on the roof and wall. Kerr said he examined the Uzi and found eight live rounds of ammunition in the magazine of the weapon. He also took samples of blood which he found on the floor and together with the other items, sent them to the Forensic Science Centre for analysis. He has since received reports on the weapon and blood.

The policeman produced the gun in court yesterday. Questioned by Dolsingh, Kerr said when he went to the AKS office around 1.05 a.m. he saw the items on the floor, but did not see debris, he could not recall seeing any bullet-proof vests in that office.

PC Narine, whose conduct is being called in to question, is expected to testify on Monday as the inquest winds down.