Morne Diablo man acquitted of 2010 abduction

A man from Morne Diablo in South Trinidad, accused of robbing, abducting and falsely imprisoning a man during a carjacking in 2010, has been acquitted by a High Court judge.

Clinton Roger Martin was found not guilty by Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds who delivered her verdict in his judge-only trial on September 30.

Martin was accused of attacking Ricky Mahabir on January 24, 2010.

Mahabir claimed he was driving with a female friend when they stopped near an abandoned gas station in Cap-de-Ville. The woman got out of the car and while waiting for her to return, a man approached the car and knocked on his window.

Mahabir claimed the man turned off the car’s ignition and pulled him out. He said he
was beaten by the man who was joined by three others before they threatened him with a knife, forcing him back into the car.

The woman was also bundled into the car when she returned. One of the assailants drove to a forested area where Mahabir was beaten, his hands and feet bound and thrown into the bushes.

He said he heard the car leave and his friend untied him and they got help from some hunters who took them to the police station where they made a report.

It was alleged Martin made admissions and led officers to the location where Mahabir’s car was found. However, this was questioned by defence attorney Stephen Wilson, of the Public Defenders’ Department, who called on the investigating officers to provide the alleged “utterances” at the trial as provided for in guidelines given to the protective services by the Court of Appeal directing them to contemporaneous notes of oral admissions and utterances by suspects which should be read over to the speaker and signed by them, since they could be used as evidence. It also advises officers to enter these admissions in their pocket or station diaries.

At Martin’s trial, the investigating officer claimed his personal diary was destroyed in a flood some time ago.

Also representing Martin was Janeil Chuck, of the Public Defenders’ Department. The case was prosecuted by Charmaine Samuel and Gilliana Guy.