Witnesses in murder conspiracy case warned

THE murder of one witness in a forthcoming conspiracy to murder trial has caused Police to step up protection of other witnesses including the main one, Patricia Cox.

Three people, including attorney Joseph Melville, have been committed to stand trial on the charge. The police complainant in the matter, retired Sgt Dennis Julien, has also been warned by police to be extremely careful in his day-to-day actions.  Yesterday, Julien confirmed that he has been warned to be careful. The steps to protect Cox and the warning to Julien come in the wake of the death of petty thief Ainsley Allen, who was one of the State’s main witnesses in the matter. Allen, 23, aka Beetle, who lived at Bournes Road, St James and Capildeo Flats, Petit Valley, was found burnt and decapitated on  the morning of May 3 by an off-duty officer in some bushes at Chinatown, Belmont. Up to late evening Allen’s head had not been found. Identification was done by way of fingerprints. Allen’s deposition can be used at the High Court trial, police sources told Newsday. He had been granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.

Approximately 18 witnesses are down to give evidence for the prosecution, but it is not known if all will be given protection by the State, police said. Attorney Melville, 46, of Foster Road, Sangre Grande, along with Jason Holder and Hilton Winchester have been accused of conspiring to murder Cox on June 28, 2001, at Cumberland Hill, Fort George, St James. In February of this year, Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls committed the three to stand trial at the next sitting of the Port-of-Spain Assizes. Allen’s burnt body was due to be x-rayed at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) yesterday afternoon to determine if there were any bullet wounds or any other unusual marks on his body.  A post mortem is set for today at the Forensic Science Centre. No arrests had been made for Allen’s killing up to late evening and Cpl Emrol Bruce of the Belmont Criminal Investigations Department is continuing investigations.