The defence yesterday presented closing arguments in the escaping custody and gun and ammunition possession case against Regan Rodrigues.
Attorney Adrian Thompson, who represented the accused, said the prosecution, having the burden of proof, had failed to prove its case against Rodrigues beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rodrigues, also known as `Grey Boy’, was in July charged with possession of a Taurus pistol and 14 live rounds of ammunition. The accused was read an additional charge of escaping the custody of an officer pending a charge for gun and ammunition possession.
Thompson said that nowhere in its case did the prosecution prove to the court that the defendant was present at the premises when the police allegedly searched his house and uncovered a firearm and ammunition. Furthermore, he stated, the prosecution had only managed to raise what he called, a number of “speculate possibilities.”
The attorney questioned: How was it possible that the defendant was able to escape in broad daylight from an entire group of police officers who were allegedly searching the premises? If Rodrigues did escape overboard as was claimed, why was it that they weren’t able to track his movement? Who exactly arrested Rodrigues? Why wasn’t the firearm dusted for fingerprints if the police have that technology available to them? And why wasn’t the firearm that the police allegedly uncovered at the defendant’s house not lodged at the station along with his vehicle and the quantity of cellphones taken into evidence at the Brickdam Police Station?
According to the attorney, the failure of the prosecution to answer these questions is what puts the case in doubt.
Evidence presented by Paula Lewis, who is stationed at the Brickdam Police Station, just before Thompson made his closing arguments had revealed that on July 13, the police had lodged Rodrigues’ vehicle and keys at the station and the next day, several cellphones. The diary entry, which was read aloud in court, did not say where the car had been retrieved.
Thompson said requests had been made to have the property books for both the Brickdam Police Station and the Ruimveldt Police Station entered as evidence to the court, but the latter was never made available.
Thompson stated that no evidence was presented by the prosecution to refute the defence’s case, further stating that the only thing the prosecution has was the allegation against his client.
After the defence closed its case, the prosecution requested that a short date be granted for the presentation of its closing arguments. As such, Magistrate Fabayo Azore scheduled the matter to be recalled on November 9.
In July, Rodrigues was fingered as a suspect in the murder of political activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing after a gun that was allegedly found at his residence was linked to the crime. Reports stated that the weapon was found by police when they conducted a search of the man’s Riverview, Ruimveldt home, during which he fled, but turned himself in a day later to police. It was alleged that ballistic tests later carried out on the weapon confirmed that it was used in Crum-Ewing’s killing.
