Morvant man on trial for gun possession

A First Caledonia, Morvant, man went on trial yesterday for possession of a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition.

Abidale Guerra’s trial is the second fast-track court trial being heard by Justice Gillian Lucky, who lead the initiative.

His started while the jury in another case before Lucky was deliberating on a verdict.

Prosecutor Joy Balkaran, in her opening address to the jury, said Guerra was arrested by PCs Kendell Hall and Nigel Wilson on April 7, 2006, at about 3.45 pm, in First Caledonia.

She said the two policemen were on mobile patrol with other officers when they saw Guerra standing by a dumpster.

She said when he saw the police vehicle, he held on to his pants waist, turned around and ran into a dirt track.

Hall and Wilson ran after him and caught him, she told the jury. The gun was allegedly found in his right pants pocket, and he was taken to the Morvant police station where he was charged.

Testifying first was Wilson. He recounted the incident, but in cross-examination by Guerra’s lawyer Peter Carter, denied that there were two soldiers with him and Hall.

He insisted the two others with them were policemen. He also said he could not recall playing basketball with Guerra in First Caledonia.

“I live in the area. I worked in the area. I played basketball with many people. I can’t recall if I played with him.”

Wilson also denied dating a woman named Laverne Guerra. It was put to him by Carter that he dated the woman with whom he broke up some eight to ten months before Guerra was arrested and charged.

It was also put to Wilson that Guerra saw him on a boat cruise “kissing and hugging’ another girl and told Guerra: “Doh worry. I go do for you,” a couple months after while playing basketball together.

Wilson denied all Carter’s suggestions, insisting that he never had any conversation like that with Guerra.

During Wilson's testimony, a black pistol and the ammunition were tendered into evidence and shown to the jury.

The trial continues today in the Port of Spain High Court.

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