Tribunal on three alleged perjurers continues

Before this morning’s press conference, the police tribunal dealing with three officers accused of perjury met in one of its regular sessions. The officers being investigated, Inspector Clement Cacho, Constable Darius Ramos and Sergeant Anthony Polonio, were placed on interdiction back in October after the Manslaughter case against Ben Bou-nahra crumbled when they testified that they could not positively identify him as the man they processed soon after a fatal shooting. The three had dealt with Bou-nahra after the killing of Shawn Copius on the morning of September seventeenth, 2005 and had told prosecutors that they could and would identify him. Today the man heading the tribunal, Senior Superintendent, James Magdaleno, gave us an update.

Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno, Tribunal Adjudicator
“We continue the tribunal on a weekly basis, but we have to pause at times. But yesterday, the prosecutor, who is Mr. Lino, closed his case. He called four witnesses and it is now for the defence to present their case. So this morning, the three officers they made a no case submission.

Marion Ali
“On what grounds?”

Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno
“There’s a lot of grounds. I can’t mention the grounds, there are too many to mention, but they all made no case submission and Mr. Lino, who is the presenter, will have to reply to that no case submission, and at the end of the day, I will have to make a decision if the defaulters, the police officers, have a case to answer or not.”

Marion Ali
“Do you think the police has a good case against these officers, or the prosecution?”

Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno
“Well the evidence so far I can’t disclose what is taking on in the tribunal, but at the end of the day that will be disclosed to the public.”

Even if the officers are found to have lied, Ben Bou-nahra cannot be retried for Shawn Copius’ death.