Officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are expected to inspect electronic material seized from the office of witness tampering accused, Robert Simels, to ascertain whether the information contained was privileged or could be used in the upcoming trial of Simels, his former client, drug accused Roger Khan and his assistant, Arianne Irving.

According to a letter written to presiding judge, John Gleeson, by state attorney Benton Campbell, the state’s computer specialist has been unable to analyse several pieces of electronic material because of the constraints of his equipment. He has therefore instructed that they be forwarded to the DEA’s main computer lab for analysis. He told the judge that when he received an update as to the status of the analysis, he will inform the court and defence counsel.

Meanwhile, Benton also submitted to the court two discs containing intercepted oral communications of the three defendants occurring within an attorney visiting room at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre on July 24, 2008 and July 29, 2008.

The three defendants are charged with conspiracy to tamper with witnesses scheduled to testify in Khan’s drug trial. Among other things, Simels is accused of paying US$1,000 and discussing “eliminating and neutralizing” witnesses.

He and his assistant allegedly had numerous discussions with a US government informant, to locate certain individuals close to the case and to get them to rescind statements, not to testify against Khan, or even be “eliminated.” The US informant with whom the two had discussions, and who was listed as reliable in court documents as information from him had led to drug busts in the past, had also been asked to testify for Khan during the trial.