A juror hearing evidence in the trial of 12 men accused of murdering former Xtra Foods chief executive Vindra Naipaul-Coolman has been removed from the panel.
Justice Malcolm Holdip made the decision after a brief hearing in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court yesterday.
Holdip immediately replaced the juror, who had recently caused the adjournment of the case on several occasions when he complained of feeling unwell, with one of the five alternates that were selected at the start of the trial last March.
The exact reason for the decision was not revealed in court as it was discussed during a private inquiry with only prosecutors, defence attorneys, the jurors and the 12 accused allowed to be present.
Prosecutors are expected to call their 51st witness when the trial resumes next Monday. In total 74 witnesses have been carded to testify before the State closes it case.
Among those yet to testify is Keon Gloster, the State’s main witness, who lived near to the accused men and was allegedly present when Naipaul-Coolman was killed.
Naipaul-Coolman was abducted from her home at Radix Road, Lange Park, Chaguanas, on December 19, 2006.
A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released.
Prosecutors contend that she was held captive in a house in Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, for several days before she was shot dead and dismembered. Her body has never been found.