Dr Eddie Khoury murder trial begins

UPDATE:

ALMOST 13 years after businessman Dr Eddie Khoury was brutally murdered during a botched kidnapping, the trial of five men charged with the crime has begun.
The trial started yesterday before Justice Malcolm Holdip in the Port of Spain High Court, with state prosecutors opening their case against the five accused men.

The five – Shawn James, Caleb Donaldson, Jerome Murray, Terry Moore and Robert Franklyn – are also charged with abducting and murdering Khoury in September 2005, as well as robbery and possession of a firearm and ammunition. Khoury, the managing director of ISKO Enterprises Ltd, an import and distribution company based at the Macoya industrial estate, was abducted from his office on September 21 that year. Two days later, his headless corpus was found in central Trinidad. His head has never been found.

Khoury was the nephew of former health minister John Rahael and a former Petrotrin board member.

The men, who were arrested and charged shortly after Khoury’s body was found, are being represented by a team which includes Pamela Elder, SC, Evans Welch, Wayne Sturge, Daniel Khan and Fareed Ali.

In her opening address, prosecutor Anju Bhola outlined the evidence the prosecution intends to bring against the five.

Among the witnesses expected to testify are several police officers, Khoury’s former employees and a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) DNA analyst from Quantico, Virginia, in the United States.

There are 89 witnesses scheduled to give evidence in the trial. Almost 63 witnesses are expected to take the stand and be cross-examined by defence attorneys, while the statements of other witnesses will be tendered into evidence without opposition.

Among the statements will be that of James, who allegedly confessed to the police that he transported Khoury’s body after he was stabbed at his office, removed his head and dumped it. His fingerprint was allegedly found on a metal money tin at Khoury’s office.

Bhola said it does not matter if James played no part in stabbing Khoury, as the “act of one is the act of all.”

Also included in the prosecution’s arsenal of evidence are DNA matches of Khoury’s blood on the shoes of at least three of the men – Donaldson, Murray and Moore, and a gun found at a house in D’Abadie where three were arrested, which matched bullet casings found at Khoury’s office. DNA evidence was also found on the gun, which the prosecution says links the men to the murder, while Franklyn was said to have rented a car allegedly used to transport the businessman’s body. DNA samples found on the back headrest of the back seat did not exclude Khoury’s DNA, according to the FBI analyst. Khoury’s blood was also found on the trunk of a stolen taxi, which was also used to transport his body.

Franklyn, who was a police officer, is also related to James and Murray, and his wife was Khoury’s personal assistant. One of Franklyn’s former colleagues at the E999 command centre is expected to testify that he received several anonymous calls on September 21 about someone being robbed and bleeding, and recognised one of the callers as Franklyn.

Bhola said no one will say they saw the former policeman stab Khoury or anyone else, but told the jury it was part of the circumstantial evidence the State will be relying on.

According to the evidence of Khoury’s former employees, four men came asking for money and guns when he was stabbed. He died of a single stab wound, according to the prosecution.
Bhola urged the jurors to pay attention only to the evidence, and not to decide the case on the basis of stereotypes or sympathy.

“Make no assumptions based on race, the police, or where a person lives. Start with a blank slate,” she said, also advising them not to go hunting for clues on their own or looking for stories on the case.

Senior prosecutor Nigel Pilgrim is also representing the State, which will begin calling its witnesses on Thursday.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Almost 13 years after businessman Dr Eddie Khoury was brutally murdered during a botched kidnapping, the trial of five men charged with the crime has commenced.

The trial began before justice Malcolm Holdip in the Port-of-Spain high court yesterday, with state prosecutors opening their case against the five men charged with Khoury’s murder.

The five -Shawn James, Caleb Donaldson, Jerome Murray, Terry Moore and Robert Franklyn -

are also charged with abducting and murdering Khoury in September 2005, as well as robbery and possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Khoury, the managing director of ISKO Enterprises Limited, an import and distribution company based in the Macoya industrial estate, was abducted at his office on September 21, that year.

Two days later, his headless corpus was found central Trinidad.

His head has never been found.

Khoury was the nephew of former health minister John Rahael.

Prosecutors Nigel Pilgrim and Anju Bhola are leading the prosecution for the State.