State's last witness in Koury murder trial still in hospital

JURORS hearing evidence in the trial of the five men accused of killing businessman Dr Eddie Koury have been told that the prosecution’s final witness, who was hospitalised last week with an unexpected illness, was still in hospital and will not be available to testify.

Jurors returned this morning after a three-day break and were given an update on the condition of Sgt Jade Worrell who fell ill last week Tuesday.

He was the prosecution’s final witness in the case which began last November.

However, when the matter was called this morning at the Hall of Justice, in Port of Spain, jurors were told that the policeman was still warded at hospital. They were told to return on Wednesday by Justice Malcolm Holdip.

Those on trial for Koury’s murder are Shawn James, Caleb Donaldson, Jerome Murray, Terry Moore and Robert Franklyn. They are represented attorneys, Pamela Elder,SC, Evans Welch, Wayne Sturge, Mario Merritt and Daniel Khan, while senior prosecutors Anju Bhola and Nigel Pilgrim are representing the State.

Koury, the managing director of ISKO Enterprises, an import and distribution company in Macoya, 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.

More than 60 witnesses have testified at the trial, including several police officers, Koury’s former employees, and a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) DNA analyst.