Wakanda News Details

Cop refuses to testify against 6 officers at murder trial - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

'FINISH THEM,' was the instruction one of the officers initially charged with the murders of three Moruga friends in Barrackpore in 2011 said was given before a man and a woman were taken to a lonely road.

The two were taken by police officers from Rochard Douglas Road in Barrackpore on July 22, 2011, to a lonely road off the M2 Ring Road.

The instruction was allegedly given by one of the officers on trial for the murders of Abigail Johnson, 23, Alana Duncan, 28, and Kerron 'Fingers' Eccles.

Charged with the murders are Sgt Khemraj Sahadeo, along with PCs Ronald Riveiro, Glenn Singh, Roger Nicholas, Safraz Juman and Antonio Ramadhin.

It was Sahadeo who gave the instruction, WPC Nicole Clement said in the evidence she gave on March 7, 2013, at the preliminary inquiry into the murders at the Princes Town magistrates' court.

Her deposition evidence had to be read out to the jury on Monday, after she was deemed a hostile witness by Justice Carla Brown-Antoine, who is presiding over the trial at the Hall of Justice, Port of Spain.

From the moment she entered the witness box, Clement said she 'would not be giving evidence in this matter because of safety and security concerns.'

She repeatedly told lead prosecutor Gilbert Peterson, SC, 'I will not be giving evidence,' in response to his questions relating to statements she gave and her testimony at the preliminary inquiry.

After running through a series of questions, Peterson asked her if she would be answering any of his questions. 'Respectfully, no.'

She maintained this position throughout and only deviated to say, 'I will not be speaking any further.'

Clement was also questioned on her stance by Peterson after which she was deemed a hostile witness by the judge and her deposition read out to the jury.

In her evidence-in-chief at the inquiry, Clement was also questioned by Peterson.

She said she had known the six officers for three to four years. At the time, she was assigned to the robbery squad of the San Fernando Police Station and so were they. On Monday, she said she was still a member of the police service.

Clement was asked about an incident before July 22, 2011, in which she said just before 8 pm, they were on patrol in Diamond Village waiting on a white Nissan B15 driven by Shumba James.

James has testified at the trial and in opening statements to the jury, Peterson said the three friends were unintended targets. James, who was wanted for murder, was allegedly their target.

In her deposition, Clement said on July 22, 2011, Singh told them of information he had from Sgt Parriman that James was 'going to put down a wok and that he was wanted for a double murder on the Circular Road.'

She also said Singh related information from Snr Supt Baldeo that 'if anything go wrong they will take care of the mopping-up exercise.'

That, she said, meant 'if anyone was killed, they see about covering the police.'

A short while later, she said she left with the six in two separate police vehicles using different routes. She also said Sing

You may also like

More from Home - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Business Facts

Facts About Women

Maxine Waters Reclaims Her Time On The Breakfast Club