Traffic in and around Port-of-Spain ground to a halt for most of Friday as police ramped up security around the Magistrates Court to protect the State’s main witness who began his testimony against the men charged with the murder of former Independent Senator Dana Seetahal, SC.
While heavy rainfall contributed to the gridlock, additional security measures around the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court appeared to be the main cause.
Earlier this week, the T&T Police Service (TTPS) issued a public advisory indicating that there would no parking along St Vincent Street between Gordon and Duke Streets from 3 am to 11 am. It did not give any reason for the prohibition.
However, the area covered by the security net appeared to be extended as police also blocked several streets surrounding the courthouse. The traffic restrictions also went past the suggested timeline as the hearing ended by late afternoon.
Although additional security and traffic restrictions are a normal feature of weekly hearings of the case, there was a noticeably larger police presence as dozens of heavily-armed police officers wearing balaclavas were positioned at strategic locations.
Not even lawyers were immune from security checks, as some were searched by police on their way into the building.
“I told him that I was a lawyer and they still pat me down. I can’t believe it,” one young lawyer said.
The TTPS did not reveal the reasons for the additional security, but Guardian Media understands that police had received a tip-off over a possible security threat.
“They got a tip that something might be going on so they sent us here as a precaution,” one female police officer was overheard telling a colleague as she arrived.
The security measures extended to Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno, who was surrounded by police officers and appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest concealed under her clothing throughout the hearing. Police also brought three sniffer dogs from their canine unit to search the building for arms, ammunition and explosive devices.
During yesterday’s hearing, Stephan Cummings gave evidence of his role in Seetahal’s assassination and was cross-examined by defence attorneys.
Cummings was initially charged with the crime but in December, last year, he was made a state witness after he agreed to testify against his former friends and his brother. The charge was discontinued against him and he was, instead, charged with conspiring to murder Seetahal.
Cummings spent over five hours in the witness box and clearly avoided making eye-contact with his former co-accused, who glared at him throughout the hearing.
The precise evidence, which Cummings gave during the inquiry, cannot be published until the case goes to trial in the High Court.
The preliminary inquiry continues next week Friday and the same security measures are likely to be in place when the witness returns to the witness stand to be further cross-examined by the defence.
About the case
The preliminary inquiry has encountered several roadblocks since reputed gang leader Rajaee Ali and 13 alleged associates were charged with the crime, a year after Seetahal was murdered on May 4, 2014.
Seetahal was shot dead behind the wheel of her SUV while driving along Hamilton Holder Street in Woodbrook.
Ali, his brothers Ishmael and Hamid Ali; Devaughn Cummings, Ricardo Stewart, Earl Richards, Stephan Cummings, Kevin Parkinson, Leston Gonzales; Roger Boucher and Gareth Wiseman were initially charged with the crime.
They, along with Rajaee’s wife Stacy Griffith, Deon Peters and David Ector were also charged under the Anti-Gang Act for being members of a gang.
In 2016, the DPP’s Office applied to amend the gang charges due to an administrative error made when they were laid on the group.
Cedeno dismissed the application as she ruled that the time for making the amendment had expired. Peters and Ector were set free, while Griffith remained in custody as she was charged with an unrelated gang offence that was not affected by the blunder.
The State appealed the decision but almost had to withdraw it as it admitted to filing it outside the period for doing so. Prosecutors were given a lifeline though as the Court of Appeal suggested that they make an application to retroactively extend the time.
Ector was murdered earlier this year.
Cedeno only took control of the case in 2016, after former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar recused herself from the case after it was revealed that some police officers in her security detail assisted in investigating Seetahal’s murder.
However, Ayers-Caesar’s recusal did not totally derail the inquiry as the State had not begun to lead evidence when it occurred.
In August, hearings of the case were scheduled at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain during the Judiciary’s annual vacation. However, not much progress was made in the case as the majority of the time was spent on an application for Cedeno to recuse herself over alleged improper communication with a prosecutor over her security detail.
Cedeno refused the application.