The trial of 12 men accused of murdering businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman had to be adjourned yesterday after two senior prosecutors were reportedly ill. The high-profile case was due to resume before Justice Malcolm Holdip yesterday, but when it was called in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court, at the Hall of Justice, the judge was informed that state prosecutor Joy Balkaran and special prosecutor Gilbert Peterson, SC, could not attend because of unexpected illnesses.
Lead prosecutor Senior Counsel Israel Khan was also not present as he had received prior permission from Holdip to attend a function yesterday. Holdip apologised to the accused men, their lawyers and the 12-member jury on the prosecutors’ behalf before he adjourned the case to this morning.
Recognising that some persons involved in the case may have young children sitting today’s Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam, Holdip said the trial would start later than usual to facilitate them. “I know that some of you have children and grandchildren whose hands you may have to hold at the start of the exam tomorrow. You can still do that and be here by 9.30 am,” Holdip said.
Prosecutors intend to subpoena eight more witnesses before they close their case against the 12 accused men. Keon Gloster, the state’s main witness, completed his testimony on Tuesday after spending almost a month on the witness stand. Gloster, who is related to most of the accused men, has been deemed a hostile witness as he has repeatedly denied providing a series of sworn statements which implicated the accused men.
Naipaul-Coolman was abducted from her Lange Park, Chaguanas, home, on December 19, 2006. A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released and her body has never been found.
Prosecutors contend that the former Xtra Foods chief executive was held captive in a house in Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, before she was eventually killed, dismembered and her body disposed of. In the controversial statements linked to Gloster, he allegedly told police that he was present at the time of the murder but did not participate in it.
Legal team
Their legal team includes Ulric Skerritt, Joseph Pantor, Selwyn Mohammed, Lennox Sankersingh, Ian Brooks, Wayne Sturge, Mario Merritt, Richard Valere, Kwesi Bekoe, Colin Selvon, Vince Charles, Christian Chandler, Delicia Helwig and Alexia Romero. The prosecution team includes Senior Counsel Israel Khan and Gilbert Peterson, who are being assisted by senior state prosecutors Joy Balkaran and Kelly Thompson.
Who’s in court
The dozen men before the jury and Justice Malcolm Holdip are Allan “Scanny” Martin, twin brothers Shervon and Devon Peters and their older brother Anthony Dwayne Gloster, siblings Keida and Jamille Garcia, brothers Marlon and Earl Trimmingham, Ronald Armstrong, Antonio Charles, Joel Fraser and Lyndon James. A 13th man, Raphael Williams, was charged with the crime but died in prison in 2011 of complications from sickle cell anaemia.