A DEFENCE attorney in the Clint Huggins murder trial yesterday described the State’s key witness, Swarsatee Maharaj, as “a total, utter liar.”
Ian Stuart Brook, attorney for Arnold Huggins, called Maharaj a liar on several occasions and suggested that she was never where she claimed. On each occasion, Maharaj calmly responded that she was not a liar and said she was present when Clint Huggins was killed. Brook suggested to Maharaj that she lied about seeing Arnold shoot Clint Huggins at the Uriah Butler Highway, and also about seeing him waiting in ambush at the Sangre Grande market to shoot Clint. Arnold, his cousin Leslie Huggins and Junior Phillip are before Justice Alice York Soo-Hon in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court charged with murdering Clint on Carnival Tuesday , February 20, 1996, on the Uriah Butler Highway, Mt Hope.
Maharaj, the common-law wife of Leslie, is the prosecution’s main witness. She had gone through several hours of cross-examination by Brook last Friday and yesterday. He is expected to continue today and when he is through, Keith Scotland and Dawn Mohan, who represent Leslie, and Obsourne Charles instructed by Christilyn Moore, will start their cross-examinations. In response to one of Brook’s questions, Maharaj said: ”Having gone through the evidence in such details with you, I now recalled the bright lights I spoke of was across the road.”
Maharaj, using a diagram she drew on a clip-board supplied by Brook, also gave a detailed account of her movements with the accused from Sangre Grande to the Uriah Butler Highway, just before Clint was killed. Brook sought to have Maharaj draw another diagram illustrating. Prosecutors in the matter are Wayne Rajbansie and Natasha George.
CORPORATE Communications Manager at Petrotrin, Oliver Flax, said yesterday the threat of war in Iraq has not yet had a direct impact on the operations of the company.
He said previous experiences like the Gulf War in the early 1990’s had no real adverse effects on Petrotrin. He said the possible war might be as negative as well as positive for the company. If Iraq is unable to produce oil, the void may eventually lead to rising prices and Petrotrin might be able to capitalise on that development. However, if other Middle Eastern states like Saudi Arabia increase their production, this might fill the void and there might not be a hike in oil prices. Flax said the possibility of shipping lanes being affected, limiting the avenues through which petroleum products are exported, could adversely affect Petrotrin.
THE CARIBBEAN Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) has issued an alert on the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) multi country outbreak. The alert comes in the wake of a travel advisory from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO said it had received reports of more than 150 new suspected cases of SARS, an atypical pneumonia for which no cause has yet been found. Reports have been received from Canada, China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Due to the spread of SARS to several countries in a short period of time, the WHO has issued an emergency guide for travellers and airlines. Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director General of the WHO, said the syndrome was a worldwide threat and “the world needs to work together to find its cause, cure the sick and stop the spread”. The WHO said the exact nature of the infection was still under investigation, and the advisory was based on early information. The WHO has advised all travellers, including airline crews, to be aware of the main symptoms and signs of SARS which includes a high fever, one or more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with SARS, or recent history of travel to areas reporting cases of SARS.
Travellers experiencing this combination of symptoms are advised to seek medical attention immediately and to pass on information about their travel destination to health care staff. They are also advised not to undertake further travel until they have recovered. Airlines have been issued with guidelines including notifying the destination airport that a suspected case of SARS is on board. On arrival, the sick person should be referred to airport health authorities for assessment and management, while the rest of the crew and passengers are to be informed of the person’s status as a suspected case of SARS. The passengers and crew should provide contact details for the subsequent 14 days to airport health authorities, stated the WHO. As a general precaution, the aircraft may be disinfected in the manner described in the WHO Guide to Hygiene and Sanitation in Aviation.
BANDLEADERS outraged at results of competitions judged by the National Carnival Commission (NCC), staged a protest outside the NCC’s office at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.
The bandleaders claimed the NCC changed the original results of the competitions. They also alleged that the NCC merged competitions which were judged separately in previous years into one single competition. Rosalind Gabriel, bandleader for “Land of the Humming Bird”, told Newsday she originally placed first in the mini-band category of the George Bailey Award, but was told by the NCC that “an arithmetical error” had been made in the tabulation of the results. She was told she had in fact placed third. Gabriel said the NCC offered to give her the first place prize but that she would receive the third place trophy which she said did not make any sense. She claimed the NCC took three days to tabulate the results and then changed the results ten days later. Gabriel also complained that while she placed in all the categories, she was left out of the judging for the Harold Saldenha competition.
Bandleader Albert Bailey said the NCC was also unfair in grouping together the King and Queen of the Bands categories with those of the individual male and female categories. “For the past couple of years there has been separate judging for the individual male and female and the King and Queen of the Bands categories,” he said. Bailey said individual contestants usually paid $4,000 or $5,000 for their costumes, while King and Queen contestants paid more than $20,000. He added that individual contestants could not be expected to compete with the costumes from bigger bands who in the past had competed in the King and Queen Parade.
CHAIRMAN of the Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) 2003, Anthony Aboud, said anything that happened in the world would have an impact on us, regardless of where it is, and what was taking place.
“We are not insulated in this part of the world, but we have to look forward,” said Aboud when he spoke with reporters at the launch of the TIC 2003 at the Trinidad Hilton on Monday He said TIC 2003 and the manufacturing industry would be affected by a war since “some supply chains which were there before may no longer be there now, as the logistics which allowed them to ship from that part of the world are no longer there”.
Aboud noted that certain inputs in the manufacturing process may no longer be available and this was one reason that self-sufficiency was necessary. He cautioned that the country’s welfare (housing, medical and health) should not be dependent on international forces, because events were always taking place. Referring to post 9/11, Aboud acknowledged that from every fallout, there were opportunities as well as lost chances. “I don’t think any of us really want war and wish it could be resolved,” he said. He questioned what a population of 1.3 million people could do, and concluded: “We will have to live with it, and hope that whatever happens is not too deleterious to the human race.”
THE BULLET riddled body discovered at Harpe Place, Laventille, on Sunday night, was identified yesterday as Derek Dennie, 25, of Enterprise Village, Chaguanas. The body was identified through fingerprints. Police officers said yesterday that Dennie had been previously charged with narcotic offences.
A NATIONAL Insurance Board (NIB) Manager who was kidnapped while on his way to his Cacandee Road, Felicity, home on Monday night, was rescued on High Street, San Fernando, near Republic Bank.
Officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad acting on information went to High Street around 2 pm and saw kidnap victim Ramgewan Turbani, 51, in company with a group of men. Officers arrested one man and rescued the kidnap victim. They later went to Princes Town where they arrested two other suspects. Turbani told investigators at around 6.45 pm on Monday, he was driving his car in Chaguanas when he was confronted by three men who kidnapped him. He claimed he was blindfolded and taken to a canefield where he spent the night.
The kidnappers demanded money and at around 2 pm yesterday, Turbani was being taken to a bank to withdraw money when he was rescued. He said he was not fed and suffered mosquito bites as a result of being kept in a dark cane field. He said his cell phone was used by the kidnappers to make calls to his family and carry on their private business. They had initially demanded $80,000 for his safe return late Monday, but early Tuesday the ransom was reduced to $30,000. Turbani was taken to the Princes Town Police Station where he was interviewed and identified two suspects in a brief ID parade. He was also taken to a doctor where he was treated. When Newsday visited Turbani’s Felicity home early yesterday, his wife Dhandai said she was too distraught to speak and the matter was being handled by relatives. Relatives said they had no idea why Turbani was kidnapped since he is not a wealthy person. They added that he was not involved in any illicit activities and lived a quiet simple life. He is the father of three and a devout Hindu.
POLICE in the western peninsula were kept busy Monday night, following a crime spree in which two loaded pistols were stolen, one from a security guard and the other from a businessman, while a Lotto booth was robbed and five cars stolen.
Up to late yesterday, no arrests had been and the firearms had not been recovered. In one incident, five men entered the Highland Plaza Pharmacy and announced a robbery. The armed men relieved a female Amalgamated Security Services guard of her Glock nine-millimetre semi-automatic pistol which was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. They also robbed a female customer of cash and jewelry before leaving the pharmacy. The bandits later held up the operator of a Lotto booth located near the pharmacy and made off with $6,000 in cash. They escaped in a waiting car.
In another incident, Paul De Silva, 45, was on duty at his garage located off Branch Road, La Horquette, Glencoe, at around 9 pm when a car pulled up with four men, one of whom asked to have the vehicle repaired. The men turned on De Silva, beating him about his body. As the businessman drew his licensed Glock nine-millimetre pistol in an attempt to defend himself, the four men knocked him to the ground and relieved him of the firearm plus two loaded ammunition magazines with 30 rounds of ammunition. The men escaped and De Silva telephoned police. The bleeding, semi-conscious man was taken to Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated for a suspected concussion and warded in stable condition.
Visiting the scene of the three robberies were officers co-ordinated by Snr Supt Selwyn Glasgow, led by Insp Roland Thomas and including Sgt Stephen Ramsubhag, Cpl John Lopez, PCs David Watson and Raymond Wallace. They cordoned off several streets near Highland Plaza and carried out roadblocks. However, the bandits were not found. Four Roads police are investigating these robberies. Also occurring on Monday night, were theft of five cars, which were stolen in separate incidents. Investigators have since issued an All Point Bulletin (APB) advising all police stations to be on the lookout for the stolen vehicles.
A PRISONER who was found with a weapon in his possession at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court on Monday changed his plea for the third time yesterday when he appeared before a magistrate.
Sherwyn Smith, 22, of Barataria, was allegedly found with a toothbrush containing a razor blade at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ cells on Monday morning after he was searched by Courts and Process officers on his arrival from Remand Yard. Smith, who was brought to court on a charge of escaping lawful custody, was subsequently taken to the Central Police Station by PC Christopher Mc Williams and was charged. Smith, who appeared on Monday before Magistrate Michelle Maharajh-Brown in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Magistrates’ Court, originally pleaded guilty to the charge. The magistrate after conferring with the prosecutor, asked Smith why he refused to have his fingerprints taken, upon which he shouted that he was not guilty. This caused the magistrate to read the charge again and ask Smith if he was changing his plea.
Smith responded he was not guilty and refused to have his fingerprints taken without talking to his attorney. Magistrate Maharajh-Brown then transferred the matter to the Third Magistrates’ Court for yesterday when Smith reappeared before Magistrate David Harris. A now calm Smith changed his plea once again to guilty. He began to explain to Magistrate Harris that he was in prison for more than a year and there was an ongoing feud between him and three other men. However, he was cut short by the magistrate who told him he needed his fingerprints in order to trace his criminal records before pass sentencing. Smith agreed and the magistrate adjourned the matter to tomorrow.
An 18-year-old man was remanded in custody for marijuana possession yesterday after a Port-of-Spain Magistrate decided he needed a “sharp shock” to realise the consequences of his actions.
Ricardo Phillip, a construction worker, of Upper Ninth Avenue, Barataria, pleaded guilty to possession of 49.5 grammes of marijuana before Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim. The court heard that police officers were on mobile patrol duty at Seventh Avenue, Malick, last Friday, when they saw Phillip acting in a suspicious manner. When they searched Phillip, they found 11 foil packets of marijuana in his right pants pocket. He was arrested and charged by PC Acres of the Morvant Police Station.
Defence attorney Patrick Godson-Phillip told the magistrate Phillip bought the marijuana for a “weekend smoke” for some friends. He said it took the “sharp shock” of being arrested to bring home the seriousness of the offence to Phillip. However, Magistrate Lee Kim said when Phillip had appeared before her on Monday and she remanded him to reappear, he “steupsed” because she was not going to deal with the matter at the time. She said even with his attorney present, Phillip was looking around the courtroom like he had other things on his mind. The magistrate said Phillip needed “a slightly longer sharp shock” and she would postpone sentencing to a later date. At the urging of his attorney, Phillip apologised for his actions. However, the magistrate said she wanted to cement the experience in his mind and adjourned the matter to Friday.
