Judge reviews evidence of 'hostile' cop in Moruga murder trial

THE judge presiding over the trial of six police officers charged with the murder of three Moruga friends in 2011 has entered the second day of her summation to the jury.

Justice Carla Brown-Antoine spent most of Wednesday focusing her final review of the case on the evidence of WPC Nicole Clement.

Clement was initially charged, alongside Sgt Khemraj Sahadeo and PCs Renaldo Reviero, Glenn Singh, Roger Nicholas, Safraz Juman and Antonio Ramadin, with the murders of Alana Duncan, 28, Abigail Johnson, 23, and Kerron “Fingers” Eccles on the night of July 22, 2011, at Rochard Douglas Road, Barrackpore.

The Director of Public Prosecutions dropped the charges against her and she was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony against her colleagues.

Clement testified at the preliminary inquiry of the murders at the magistrates’ court, but at the trial at the Hall of Justice, Port of Spain, she refused to give evidence, citing “safety and security concerns.”

“What is a hostile witness?” Brown-Antoine said as she explained what that meant, and the law that allowed Clement’s testimony at the inquiry to be used as her evidence at the trial.

Brown-Antoine cautioned the jury to approach Clement’s evidence “with special care and caution.” This is because, the judge explained, she was an accomplice. She told the jury they had to determine whether Clement "had a motive to lie against the accused.”

She also advised them not to come to an adverse conclusion against the six officers on the basis of Clement’s reason for not giving evidence at the trial.

“Do not come to an adverse conclusion against the accused based on her saying she had safety concerns or that they are guilty because she had safety concerns.”

The judge also said while attorneys were entitled to cross-examine Clement on her testimony, they were unable to, because of the stance she took.

“Cross-examination is a powerful and effective tool to test the evidence of a witness.”

She also advised the jury they were entitled to consider whether Clement’s evidence was supported by other evidence in the case.

“You are entitled to reject all of it…If you do, you must put it aside. You are entitled to believe her evidence in whole or in part.”

Brown-Antoine also summarised the evidence of several of the police officers who either testified at the trial or whose evidence was admitted as formal admissions.

The judge’s summation continues on Thursday.

Although Brown-Antoine said she was hoping to complete this exercise on Thursday, she has set aside Friday if necessary.

When she is done, the jurors will retire to deliberate on a verdict.

The six officers are represented by attorneys Israel Khan, SC, Ulric Skerritt and Arissa Maharaj. Special prosecutors Gilbert Peterson, SC, Elaine Greene and state attorneys Giselle Ferguson-Heller and Katiesha Ambrose-Persadsingh appear for the State.