Privy Council grants leave to killers

The petition of Arnold Huggins, Leslie Huggins and Junior Phillip was heard before Lord Scott, Lord Rodger and Lady Hale in London.

James Dingemanns QC ap-peared for Arnold Huggins; William Clegg QC for Leslie Huggins and Peter Carter for Phillip. James Guthrie QC and John Almeida represented the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

After hearing the petition, the Privy Council said the three appellants had an arguable case and granted leave for them to appeal. The appeal will be heard sometime in 2007.

Clint Huggins was the main witness for the prosecution against Dole Chadee and his gang of nine who were charged with the murders of four members of the Baboolal family on January 10, 1994 at Williamsville.

Clint Huggins testified at the preliminary inquiry at the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court. But on February 20, 1996, four months before the trial, Clint was found dead on the Uriah Butler Highway in Mount Hope. He was shot, chopped and the lower portion of his body burnt. Clint, who was staying in a safe house at Crow’s Nest in Teteron Barracks, walked away three days before to enjoy the Carnival celebrations.

He went to his hometown in Sangre Grande and was last seen liming and drinking with two cousins at a bar.

Years later, the police charged Arnold and Leslie Huggins (cousins) and Phillip for the murder of Clint Huggins. They were sentenced to death on May 8, 2003 in the Port-of-Spain High Court.

They appealed to the Court of Appeal, but on April 21, 2005, the appellate court dismissed the appeals.

After Clint Huggins was killed, one of the accused Levi Morris, turned State witness and gave vital evidence against Chadee and the gang. Morris and Huggins’ deposition was enough as the jury found Chadee and the gang guilty.

They were executed at the Port-of-Spain State Prison in batches of three on June 4, 5 and 7, 1999.