Newspaper security staff testifies

After failing to attend a Tuesday court hearing, two Kaieteur News security staff punctually attended court Wednesday to testify in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the June 4, grenade attack on the newspaper.

The PI continued before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Janeil Howard, 20, of 322 Section ‘C’ Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara; Alfie Garraway, 36, of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown; and Leroy Williams, 25, of 11 Durban Backlands, are accused of conspiring together with other persons to cause an explosion by way of grenade, likely to endanger lives and cause damage to property. Garraway is currently out on $300,000 High Court bail. The other accused remain on remand. Howard is unrepresented by an attorney. Alfie Garraway is being represented by Attorneys Stanley Moore and Glenn Hanoman, while Attorney Neil Bollers is defending Williams. Police Prosecutor, Neville Jeffers, called Omar Bynoe and James Baptiste, two Kaieteur News employees, to testify. Neil Bollers, a defense attorneys cross-examined Baptiste. Prosecutor Jeffers declined to re-examine. The prosecution is set to call six more witnesses; two police officers and four civilians.

The Chief Magistrate adjourned the PI till today. According to reports, on the day in question, a security staffer heard an unusual sound coming from near Lall’s vehicle PRR 8398, which was parked on the western side of Saffon Street. On checking the front of the vehicle, the staffer spotted a grenade lying near one of the front tyres. Video footage from the company’s CCTV cameras showed a grey-coloured vehicle, slowing as it approached Lall’s vehicle. The driver accelerated after the explosive device was thrown. (Kaieteurnews.com)