Accused in 2010 carjacking must wait to know fate

A man from Morne Diablo in South Trinidad, accused of robbing, abducting and falsely imprisoning a man during a carjacking in 2010, will have to wait until the end of the month to learn his fate.

High Court Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds reserved her verdict for Clinton Roger Martin to September 30 after starting and completing evidence in his judge-alone trial at the Princes Town Family and District Court, yesterday afternoon.

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

Testifying in his trial, Mahabir claimed that around 8 pm, he was driving with a female friend when they stopped near an abandoned gas station in Cap-de-Ville.

His friend got out while he waited in the car.

Mahabir claimed that while waiting for her to return, a man approached the car and knocked on his window.

When he lowered his window, the man allegedly put his hand in the car and switched off the ignition.

The man pulled Mahabir out of the car and was joined by three other men. They beat him and threatened him with a knife before forcing him back into the car.

When his friend returned she too was bundled into the car.

One of the men drove to a forested area, where they again beat Mahabir before tying his hands and feet and throwing him into a patch of bushes.

After releasing the woman, the men drove off in Mahabir’s car.

His friend untied him and they made a report to the police.

Martin was arrested at his home two days after the robbery.

Besides Mahabir, the other five witnesses in the case were police officers, who probed his robbery and abduction.

Retired Inspector Saddiq Jagroop, who led the team of officers who arrested Martin, claimed that Martin made admissions and led him to the location where Mahabir’s car was parked.

However, Jagroop admitted that Martin refused to sign his notes about the alleged admissions.

“Officer, I got locked up plenty of times already. That does come back to haunt you. I done carry allyuh to get the car,” Martin allegedly said.

Asked to produce his diary in which the notes were made, Jagroop claimed that it was destroyed in a flood at his home.

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

The post Accused in 2010 carjacking must wait to know fate first appeared on CNC3.