Prosecution closes case in extradition matter against ex-cop
-magistrate to rule on no-case submission
The prosecution yesterday closed its case against Shawn Neblett, an expoliceman who is wanted in the United States for trafficking of cocaine. Extradition proceedings continued yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court Five before Magistrate Faith McGusty, with the testimonies of Superintendent Simon and Lance Corporal Joel James.
Stacy Goodings represented the interests of the US while attorney Darren Wade represented Neblett.
Simon continued his testimony from where he last left off, recapping that on April 29th, 2019, he received a call from a person who identified himself as Neblett. He noted that he had worked with Neblett for two years and recognised his voice over the phone. He said after he ended the conversation, he contacted Deputy Commissioner Lyndon Alves and told him about the conversation he had with Neblett.
Simon’s testimony was interrupted by objections from Wade, who asked him if he was certain that it was Alves that he spoke to over the phone.
He then continued that during the phone call with Alves, he received some instructions and made arrangements for Neblett to be escorted to Georgetown. He said that he later received information that Neblett was in custody.
On May 2nd, he recalled, a provisional warrant was issued and Neblett was brought before the courts.
He was then subjected to cross-examination by Wade and disclosed that he worked with Neblett until August 2002 but never spoke to him until Neblett allegedly called him in April. In response to another question asked by Wade,
Simon said that he had no knowledge that a wanted bulletin was issued for Neblett and arrested Neblett based on information provided in the red notice when the US blacklisted him. He noted that he arrested Neblett before a provisional warrant was issued.
Simon then stated that he interacted with Neblett on May 2nd at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, and Wade, after consulting with his client, iterated that at no point in time was his client at CID headquarters on May 2. Simon subsequently admitted that Neblett was not, which prompted Wade to question his credibility.
After the cross-examination was concluded, James took the witness stand and detailed the part he played in Neblett’s arrest. He said that on April 29th, he was on duty at the Sparendaam Police Station when he received instructions from Simon to uplift Neblett and his passport from the Springlands
Police Station, which he did and escorted Neblett back to Sparendaam in the company of two other officers. When asked if Neblett was in court, James positively identified Neblett.
The prosecutor subsequently closed her case and Wade made a no-case submission after which Goodings requested seven days to respond to the submissions to which the magistrate agreed. As a result the matter was adjourned until January 13th, 2020. Wade then renewed a bail application for his client but the magistrate denied it saying that Neblett was considered to be a flight risk as he was caught trying to leave the country. Wade then asked her to consider the testimony of Simon, who on the last occasion was reported to have said that Neblett was not aware that he was wanted by the US government. However, the magistrate replied that regardless, Neblett somehow came by the information that he was wanted and attempted to flee.
Neblett is wanted in the United States for conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine, conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
According to the indictment, which was seen by Stabroek News, between August 2015 and September 2015, in the Eastern District of New York, Neblett conspired to smuggle cocaine into the US from Guyana. In August 2015, he is accused of arranging for a courier in Guyana to smuggle cocaine into the US in exchange for US$8,000.