Investigators yesterday released Trinidadian Joseph Aboud three days after he turned himself in for questioning into allegations of the illegal importation of firearms and ammunition; and they are in contact with Interpol over another detainee, businessman Clayton Hutson.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud yesterday told Stabroek News that the red notice was out but Hutson’s lawyer, Joseph Harmon, said he had no knowledge of this. It is not clear what matter the red notice is for, or for which country.
Police had issued wanted bulletins for Aboud, Hutson and Frankie Ross last Friday, after a cache of arms and ammunition and other articles were found at a Regent Street, Bourda house.
Aboud turned himself in at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, Eve Leary on Tuesday with his lawyer Mark Waldron. Investigators released the man 72 hours later, after Waldron secured an order from the High Court for the police to show cause why he should not be released. No charges were laid nor was he released on station bail like the three women who were arrested at the house the day after the discovery was made. In addition, the police have not instructed the man to return at any time for further questioning.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that on Thursday, Waldron filed Habeas Corpus proceedings in the High Court and Justice Roxanne George heard the matter. The judge subsequently issued a Nisi order compelling the police to show cause why Aboud should not be released and adjourned the matter to 1.30 pm the following day (yesterday).
However, sometime before lunch yesterday, the police told the man that he was free to go.
A source pointed out to this newspaper that the police had operated as if they had all the evidence in the world against Aboud to lay a charge, but instead released the man the day after his lawyer moved to the High Court to secure his release.
The source noted that Aboud had to be subjected to his photograph and biographic details being published in the local print media, which in the end turned out to be for nothing. This newspaper was further told that it was not easy being grilled and kept in the Brickdam Police Station lock-up for three days and then told that you are free to go without a single charge or indication that there will be further questioning.
Stabroek News made an effort to speak with Aboud yesterday but was unsuccessful.
Interpol and Hutson
Up to press time last evening, Hutson was still being held.
Harmon told Stabroek News yesterday that Habeas Corpus proceedings had been filed in the High Court in an attempt to secure his client’s release. The matter came up before Justice George and will be again heard this morning. Hutson’s 72 hours in police custody will be up at 10 am today.
Meanwhile, the Crime Chief said yesterday that there was a red notice out for Hutson and local law enforcement officers have informed Interpol that he is in custody.
Persaud said too that there had been no further developments in the Regent Street arms bust investigation that could be released to the media at this time.
Asked if the three women initially held will be charged, Persaud responded that they were still on bail.
Harmon said yesterday morning that his client had told him that he was unaware of the Interpol red notice but stressed that the issue did not have a bearing on the present situation.
He said that Interpol was an international body that had no local jurisdiction and pointed out that with such a notice a person who has committed an offence can only be arrested once he enters any other country.
The attorney pointed out that if Hutson was alleged to have committed a crime here; the local police have to deal with it.
He said he knew nothing about the local police informing Interpol of his client’s detention.
Interpol circulates internationally, at the request of member countries, notices containing identification details and judicial information about wanted persons.
The organization says on its website, ‘An Interpol Red Notice’ is not an international arrest warrant. The persons concerned are wanted by national jurisdictions (or the International Criminal Tribunals, where appropriate) and Interpol’s role is to assist the national police forces in identifying or locating those persons with a view to their arrest and extradition.
These red notices allow the warrant to be circulated worldwide with the request that the wanted person be arrested with a view to extradition, the website said.
A distinction was also drawn between two types of red notice: the first is based on an arrest warrant and is issued for a person wanted for prosecution; the second type is based on a court decision for a person wanted to serve a sentence.
Where is
Frankie Ross?
Ross, who is closely related to the three women arrested, was said to be the owner of the barrel that the joint services say they found the weapons in. However there has been no sign of the 23-year-old man who police seem to know little about.
Authorities said they have no clue where the man might be but some sources said Ross might have fled the country while others believe he might just be lying low until the right time comes to turn himself in.
Several police officers told this newspaper last evening that law enforcement officials are no closer to finding the man.
Police had said in a release that members of the joint services searched the Lot 120 Regent Street address and discovered an AK-47 rifle with the number filed off; a pistol with a silencer; a Mossberg shotgun; 713 rounds of ammunition of various calibre; 7 magazines for different firearms; a green camouflage water bottle and a green canvas pouch. The police had said that the items were in a barrel.
Sources however have told this newspaper that the items were not discovered in a barrel but rather were in a bag that was handed over to an army official.
That bag was passed on to a senior official and members of the military later descended on the home and carried out a search. The police were later informed and removed a barrel from the house.
Contacted on this, army Public Relations Officer Woman Lt Col Windee Algernon said members of the joint services had searched the house and found the articles. Crime Chief Persaud had told this newspaper when asked, that the items were found in a barrel under the house as was stated in the police release.
Asked why the women were not arrested when the discovery was made, he said no one was there at the time.
Ballistics tests have revealed that the weapons have not been used in any crimes committed here.
