An alleged romantic relationship between two senior homicide detectives was the main issue raised in the trial of 12 men accused of the murder of businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman.
Defence attorney Wayne Sturge made the allegation yesterday as he sought to prove that the two officers colluded when they took statements from the State's main witness in the case.
As he cross examined Insp Suzette Martin, Sturge claimed her colleague, a senior investigator in Naipaul-Coolman's case, fathered one of her children.
Even as Sturge repeatedly posed the question, stopping periodically to rephrase it, Martin did not confirm or deny it.
"I am not really feeling comfortable at this time. I don't appreciate my personal life being brought into the matter," Martin said.
Visibly upset, Martin pleaded with presiding Judge Malcolm Holdip to intervene to stop Sturge's questions, which she deemed as a personal attack.
Holdip initially allowed Sturge to continue but curtailed him after Martin's responses became repetitive.
"I never said that," Martin said repeatedly.
Sturge then accused Martin and her colleagues of threatening the witness Keon Gloster into giving evidence against the accused men, most of whom were his neighbours.
Sturge: "You did not tell him of his right to remain silent but told him he might need a lawyer to frighten him to talk."
Martin: "That was not the way it was done."
A fiery Sturge also took aim at the quality of evidence provided by Gloster to Martin and her colleagues.
"His (Gloster) story has been negated by science. It has been proven to be bullocks," Sturge said.
Special State prosecutor Israel Khan, SC, objected to Sturge's statement before Martin could answer. Sturge then withdrew the question.
Naipaul-Coolman, 52, was abducted from her home at Lange Park, Chaguanas, on December 19, 2006. A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released.
Prosecutors are contending that the former Xtra Foods chief executive was held captive at a house in Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, for several days before she was killed and dismembered. Her body has never been found by police.
Gloster, who lived in the community along with most of the accused, was alleged to be present at the time of the murder. He is yet to testify before the 12-member jury and five alternates.
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Who's in court
The 12 men before the jury and Justice Malcolm Holdip are: Allan "Scanny" Martin, twin brothers Shervon and Devon Peters, siblings Keida and Jamille Garcia and their older brother Anthony Dwayne Gloster, 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.
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.