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Another police witness takes to the stand

Apr 05, 2011 News

… Colin Jones’s alleged terror gang (PI) continues

Detective constable #14996 Elias who is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Brickdam Police Station was yesterday called to the witness stand to testify in the Colin Jones alleged terror gang preliminary inquiry (PI).
Colin Jones, Randy Mars, Anthony Watson, Jahfar Sampson and Basil Morgan were charged jointly on January 24, 2011, for numerous offences ranging from attempted murder to arson and discharging loaded firearm to other charges.
The police are alleging that on November 04, 2009, at Brickdam Police Station, the five accused discharged a loaded firearm at two policemen— Ravindra Singh and Dharmindra Indrapaul — with the intention to kill their victims.
The prosecution is being represented by Inspector of police, Stephen Telford.
As a consequence, the matter which is being heard in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court is engaging the attention of the Chief Magistrate, Priya Beharry.  Hughes and Warren are representing Morgan, while Thomas has entered an appearance for Randy Mars, Anthony Watson, Colin Jones and his younger brother Jafar Sampson.
At the commencement of yesterday’s (PI) the witness was examined by the prosecution and re-examined by defense counsel, George Thomas. Attorney at-law Nigel Hughes in association with Tanya Warren declined to cross examine the witness.
The prosecution turned down re-examination.
Even so, Telford indicated to the court that the prosecution was prepared to call three other police witnesses but unfortunately those witnesses were absent. The three other witnesses scheduled to testify are Assistant Superintendent Wright, Sergeant Caesar and Corporal Henry.
The preliminary inquiry into the alleged attempted murder and discharging of loaded firearm/s at Clayton Westford, detective constable Dharmindra Indrapaul and police constable Rajendra Singh at the Brickdam Police Station was fixed for continuation on April 6, at 10:00 hours.
Long before the (PI) started George Thomas made an oral submission for his client, Colin Jones to be evaluated by a specialist. Jones on that occasion told the Magistrate “I don’t need no examination….I’m alright. Up to press time Kaieteur News was unable to authenticate if Thomas’s request was ever granted.
During that hearing, the lawyer said that “Jones is psychologically unable to stand any trial for the alleged offences instituted against him”.
Mars, shortly after his apprehension, maintained that ranks placed a black plastic bag over his head and dealt him a sound beating. It was for that reason that Thomas asserted that Magistrate Sueanna Lovell who is sitting at the Providence Magistrates’ Court made an order for the accused to be scrutinised by a doctor.
March 23, last, saw the commencement of the (PI). One of the chief witnesses Constable Ravindra Singh testified. His colleague Corporal Nigel Europe also related his evidence.
Singh was cross-examined by both lawyers but the prosecution declined to re-examine him. Telford however, re-examined Europe after the counsels concluded their cross-examination.
Telford during one of the hearing told the court that police acting on information swooped down on the mining town of Linden where Jones was seen. They also carried out a search in a house in the said town where numerous illegal items were unearthed.
Jones allegedly admitted that the articles belonged to him, and he also gave the police several other locations where a quantity of ammunition and two AK-47 rifles were found.
On that note the charges against Deon Thompson and Ulei McQuede were instituted.
The two are accused of knowingly harbouring two wanted men between August 14 and November 26, 2010 with the knowledge that they were wanted in connection with arson and murders.
The prosecutor explained that McQuede was sent to a Western Union outlet on three occasions to collect money on Kurt Thierens’s behalf.
Thierens was one of Jones’s accomplices whose corpse was found at Loo Creek on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
Initially, the five accused were separately charged with attempting to commit murder but the police instructed the court to withdraw the separate charges and to institute them jointly.
The same was done to the charge for setting alight the Supreme Court. The PI for that matter is slated to begin on June 1.

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