A policeman yesterday corroborated testimony by a fellow officer that Warren McKenzie, one of the five accused in the attack on Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre and her family, had implicated himself during questioning.
Taking the stand yesterday at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court was Detective Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo, who was stationed at Brickdam Police Station, where Detective Corporal Chetram Sewsankar said he had confronted McKenzie, who was lying in a stretcher in the Enquiries office, about his alleged involvement in the attack.
Like Sewsankar had testified, Sarrabo told the court that when McKenzie was cautioned and told that he in the company of others robbed Justice Pierre, he replied “…Is wat I put myself in here, boy… if I did only know that the lady was a judge they couldn’t got me on that wuk….” The witness also testified that McKenzie refused to make or sign to any statements regarding the matter.
McKenzie, who is representing himself, declined to cross-examine Sarrabo.
McKenzie, Nicholas Narine, Premnauth Samaroo, Daymeion Millington, and Anthony David are on trial for the robbery of Justice Pierre and her husband, Mohamed Chan, as well as shooting at security guard Ron Peters on July 9, 2015.
Also testifying yesterday was police ballistics expert Sergeant Eon Jackson, who testified about a gun that was used in the attack.
Jackson told the court that on July 9, 2015 he received from a Corporal Benjamin evidence that was in a plastic bag that was sealed and marked. The bag contained three fired 9mm casings, two fired 9mm bullets and two copper jackets from 9mm bullets.
The witness said he also received from a Corporal Cosbert two envelopes that contained a Glock 26 9mm semi-automatic pistol along with a 9mm Glock pistol magazine and a Glock 20 pistol magazine. He said when he examined the pistol, he found it to be a firearm that is in good working order.
Jackson then compared what was given to him with casings and bullets that he had discharged previously using the Glock pistol and he found all the casings and bullets to have the same impressions and striation marks in identical sequence. Jackson said that he later drew a conclusion that the casings from the evidence bag and the two fired bullets were all discharged from pistol.
Jackson told the court that the striations found are like fingerprints which are unique to a firearm and are referred to as a signature of the firearm. He also told the court that no two Glock pistols can produce identical marks
The trial will continue today.
