Johnny Abraham denies Koury accused was treated unfairly

SHAWN James was never promised by police to be made a state witness in the Eddie Koury murder case.

Nor was he promised to be put in a state house, insisted now-retired Senior Supt Johnny Abraham to whom James allegedly gave a confession statement admitting to taking part in Koury’s kidnapping and beheading him and dumping his body.

Abraham, who returned today to continue his testimony at the trial on Koury’s murder, insisted that he was fair to James when the alleged confession statement was recorded.

He also insisted that James was not promised to be made a state witness in exchange for his alleged confession.

“That never happen,” Abraham said.

At the trial, James’ attorney Daniel Khan sought to suggest that the interview at which the alleged confession was given was not fair. He also questioned the fact that at first James denied any involvement in the kidnapping and murder but six questions later, according to the statement, he told all.

“I did nothing to trick him or encourage him to change his position,” Abraham insisted.

Khan also suggested that police had already known where to find Koury’s body before James took them to the remote area in Tabaquite as well as the Mosquito Creek, in La Romaine, where he claimed he dumped the businessman’s head after he cut if off.

Abraham admitted that before they went to the various crime scenes with James, they got the information from him and his statements to them during the interview.

“It just confirmed what the police knew,” Abraham said.

The trial resumes today before Justice Malcolm Holdip in the Port of Spain First Criminal Court.

Koury, the managing director of ISKO Enterprises Ltd, an import and distribution company based in the Macoya industrial estate, was abducted from his office on September 21, 2005. Two days later, his headless corpse was found in central Trinidad. His head has never been found.

According to James’ statement, he threw Koury’s head out at sea at Mosquito Creek.

Caleb Donaldson, Murray, Terry Moore and Robert Franklyn are also on trial for Koury’s murder.