WITNESSES Corporal Robert Henry, of Providence Police Station, and Sergeant John, of the Tactical Services Unit, were among those who testified when the Providence murder trial voir dire continued yesterday.
The voir dire (a trial within a trial), conducted by Presiding Judge, Justice Roxanne George, is being held to determine the admissibility of an alleged confession statement by accused Nigel Forrester.
Leading Prosecutor Miss Rhondel Weever, with Miss Latchmie Rahamat, is hoping to tender a caution statement said to have been made by the accused Forrester.  This, they believe, could help the State prove its case.
But defence counsel, Mr. Basil Williams, whose objection to the tendering of the statement sparked off the voir dire, had told the judge that his objections were based on the grounds that the statement was not obtained freely and voluntarily, but by oppression and violence.
The hearing of the voir dire is being conducted in the absence of the jury.
Mrs. Budhai, the wife of the deceased, who was a police suspect during  the investigations, and  later became a chief prosecution witness, had testified that she and her husband had a good relationship with accused Forrester who would do odd jobs for  them  daily after his work at Toolsie Persaud.
Mrs. Budhai had told the court that she did not see the accused on the night of her husband’s death, November 25, 2005.
But two other witnesses, who said that they were drinking at Budhai’s Bar on the night in question, said they had seen the accused at the shop around closing time. He was there trying to purchase nuts and was told by Budhai to wait.
Defence counsel Williams had told the two witnesses that they were witnesses of convenience who had come to tell lies in order to help Mrs. Budhai, who was held as a suspect by the Police.
The trial is continuing.