Despite the appearance of journalist Travis Chase and HGPTV station manager Nyjel Fraser in a city court to testify in the trial of self-confessed drug trafficker Barry Dataram the prosecution now faces the task of obtaining Chase’s written statement.
Dataram, his common-law wife Anjanie Boodnarine, Kevin Charran, and Trevor Gouveia, are currently on trial for the alleged possession of 129.230 kilogrammes of cocaine (equivalent to 284 pounds), which police say was found at Dataram’s Diamond Housing Scheme home last year April.
The court heard from Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford-Thompson that the prosecution was yet to obtain statements from Fraser and Chase.
She stated that although Fraser had agreed to give a statement in relation to the matter Chase is seeking counsel to decide whether or not to provide CANU with a statement.
However, the trial was unable to proceed with police officer Roy Murray, who was slated to give evidence, owing to the fact that attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman sent a letter to the court indicating that his father-in-law had died and he was requesting an adjournment.
This request was granted by Magistrate Judy Latchman and the matter adjourned to August 25.