Mom of accused won’t testify

THE mother of one of the five men on trial for the murder of businessman Dr Eddie Koury will not be giving evidence after all.

Last week Thursday, lawyers representing Shawn James told presiding judge Justice Malcolm Holdip that James was invoking his right to remain silent in the case, but would call his mother Gweldolyn Ottley, as a witness in his defence.

However, when the trial resumed on Monday, James’ lead attorney Daniel Khan said the defence will no longer be calling any witnesses or offering any evidence. There was no objection by prosecutors and Holdip told the jury it was well within James’ right to adopt that course of action.

Last month, the prosecution closed its case against the five, calling more than 60 witnesses, while tendering the statements of others without opposition from the defence. Also on trial are Jerome Murray, Terry Moore, Caleb Donaldson and Robert Franklyn.

Koury, 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, 2005. Two days later, his headless body was found in central Trinidad.

Testifying at the trial were several police officers, Koury’s former employees and a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) DNA analyst from Quantico, Virginia, in the US.

Among the statements tendered was that of James, who allegedly confessed to the police that he transported Koury’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 Koury’s office, while there were allegedly DNA matches of Koury’s blood on the shoes of at least three of the men – Donaldson, Murray and Moore.

Jurors were also told a gun found at a house in D’Abadie where three were arrested matched bullet casings found at Koury’s office.

DNA evidence was also allegedly found on the gun. 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 Koury’s DNA, according to the FBI analyst. Koury’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 Koury’s personal assistant. One of Franklyn’s former colleagues at the E999 command centre testified he received a call from Franklyn on the morning of Koury’s abduction.

According to the evidence of Koury’s former employees, four men came asking for money and guns when he was stabbed. He died of a single stab wound.

State attorneys Nigel Pilgrim and Anju Bhola are prosecuting while the men are represented by a team of attorneys including, Senior Counsel Pamela Elder, Khan, Evans Welch, Mario Merritt and Wayne Sturge. The trial is ongoing.