(Trinidad Express) – The National Security Ministry says it knew nothing about the return to Trinidad of former State witness Sean Quamina, who is believed to have been followed back to his New York home and killed on Monday.

The ministry also has no information linking Quamina’s killing to his decision to testify at a double murder trial last year that convicted two men for murder.

The ministry issued a media release on Thursday, stating that Quamina left the Justice Protection Programme after testifying in February 2009.

Quamina, 26, of Springvale, Claxton Bay, testified to witnessing the murders of Kerwin ’Richie Rich’ Hinds and Kerwin ’Ox’ Cyrus, at the hands of Garvin ’Beam’ Sookram and Keron ’Bellies’ Lopez. The killings occurred at Sawmill Avenue Barataria in July 2004.

The release stated, ’The Ministry’s track record since establishment of the Justice Protection Programme in 2003 proves unambiguously that it has maintained the safety and security of every individual involved … and continues to commit itself to ensuring the safety of every individual who participates in the programme.’

Quamina, who was protected for five years before leaving the country, was shot in the head at his Brooklyn apartment, where he lived with his wife and daughter. It is believed that when he returned here on January 4 to attend the funeral of his grandmother, he was stalked by men who wanted him dead because of his testimony.

New York police have identified a suspect in the killing, which they have labelled ’drug related’.