Good Hope accused said weapons were to protect themselves
-army major testifies
By Nigel Williams
Stabroek News
April 8, 2003
Two of the three men who were detained by the army at Good Hope last December with a large cache of arms told ranks that they were carrying the weapons to protect themselves.
The third man denied knowing anything about the weapons.
This was according to army major, Fitzroy Warde while giving testimony before Magistrate Jerrick Stephney at the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court yesterday.
He also said that the detention of the men was lawful and within the context of proper army procedures.
The officer is the third GDF soldier to take the witness stand since the commencement of the trial in the case against Shaheed Khan, Haroon Yahya and policeman, Sean Belfield.
Khan and Yahya were each placed on $500,000 bail while policeman Belfield was asked to post $450,000 when they first appeared before Stephney on January 15. The three men stand jointly charged for unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition. On December 4, 2002 at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara they allegedly had in their possession a quantity of unlawful high-powered firearms and ammunition.
Belfield was also charged with two additional summary charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Warde told the magistrate that on the night in question, he was the officer in command of Pirai Company of the First Infantry Battalion Group. He recalled that around 10.30 pm he was part of a mobile patrol in the vicinity of the Enmore Railway embankment when he received a radio call from Corporal Worrel who was a patrol commander of another mobile patrol working in the areas of Enterprise to Conversation Tree.
The army major said that based upon the information he had received from Worrel he proceeded to the Good Hope Public Road.
"While going I made a call to Major T. Benn who was at the time Task Force Commander."
Warde told the court that he arrived at Good Hope at around 11:10 pm and when he got there, Captain Leitch, Corporal Worrel and other members of the patrol were present.
"I then took command of the scene and there I observed a blue 4x4 pick-up number GHH 7539 and also three individuals lying on their tummies with standing escorts over them."
In the tray of the vehicle, Warde said he observed a large quantity of arms and ammunition, bulletproof vests, weapon silencers and helmets. He added that in the cab of the pickup he observed a laptop computer, Smith Myers communication systems and a power inverter. Warde said after observing the items he instructed the three men who were still lying face downwards to turn upwards and upon doing so he inquired from them their identities and information about the weapons.
According to the major, the men identified themselves but in answering to the question regarding the weapons, Khan and Belfield said they were carrying the weapons to protect themselves. Yahya in answering said he was not aware of the arms and ammunition since he had been visited by Khan and Belfield.
Warde recalled that after questioning the men, he then instructed the force's photographer to take photos of the weapons and the other items that were found. He noted that soon after, he received a telephone call from Major Benn instructing him to escort the three men and the weapons along with the vehicle to base Camp Ayanganna.
After he had received instructions, Warde said he informed the men about his intention, and further asked them if they had any other items in the vehicle.
He said at this point, Yahya told him that he was a licensed firearm holder of Lot 80, Good Hope Housing Scheme and had two weapons in his house- a shotgun and a revolver.
Warde said Yahya then asked to be taken home to hand over the weapons. At Yahya's home, Warde said they had found the revolver on a fridge and the shotgun on a chair. He said Yahya upon leaving his home asked to change his boots which they allowed.
Warde testified that all of the weapons and ammunition were placed in two black bags and put into his vehicle, while the three men were placed in three separate patrol vehicles. He said a police corporal who was there at the time was instructed by him to drive the men's vehicle and they all departed Good Hope at about midnight.
Warde said when they arrived at Camp Ayanganna he took the bags out of his vehicle and proceeded to the Military Criminal Investigations Department (MCID) headquarters, while the three men were taken out of the vehicles and escorted to the Military Intelligence Department.
He remembered that shortly after, a team of senior police officers, headed by Commissioner of Police designate, Winston Felix arrived. He said at this point Belfield handed over his police identification card. A map of the city was retrieved from the vehicle and also handed to the police.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Cedric Caesar of the CID was a member of the team and he took control of the three men while another officer verified the quantity of arms and ammunition which were discovered. He said he had made sure to engrave his name on the weapons before handing them over to the police.
Warde said the computer, communications system, power inverter and vehicle were then handed over to Major L. Saul of the MCID.
Under cross-examination by attorneys-at-law, Nigel Hughes and Glen Hanoman, who along with Vic Puran are representing the three men, Warde insisted that the army did not have the power to arrest a police officer who was in the proper execution of his duty.
The case will continue next Monday.
