Hicken likely to be recalled in Linden COI

– phone evidence refuted his testimony

Former E&F Division Com-mander, Senior Superinten-dent Clifton Hicken, will likely be recalled to the stand in the light of the evidence produced to the Linden Commission of Inquiry last week which proved that he was in contact with Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on the day the three Lindeners were fatally shot.

This is according to Attorney Nigel Hughes, who is representing the AFC and the interest of the relatives of Shemroy Bouyea, Allan Lewis and Ron Somerset, who were shot dead near the Mackenzie- Wismar Bridge.

Clifton Hicken

Hughes yesterday told Stabroek News that he is anticipating Hicken will return to the stand once the inquiry resumes on Monday. However, he said, he intends to request that additional evidence, in the form of photographs, videos and phone records, be taken before Hicken is recalled.

At the hearing on September 27, Hicken denied having contact with Rohee on July 18 while operating at Linden.

Hughes had read out Rohee’s mobile numbers and the numbers of the direct lines to his office and asked Hicken whether he was familiar with them. Hicken said he was not, stating that he had never spoken to Rohee via cell on July 18 and had taken his orders from acting Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell.

“Have you ever spoken to Mr Rohee on professional matters,” Hughes had asked.

“On professional matters, one on one, no; as a senior officer, we’ve met in forums and spoke,” Hicken explained.

Hughes refuted the claim by Hicken that he had not been in contact with Rohee on July 18; stating that there were about ten calls exchanged between the two. “We’ll let the phone records tell us,” Hughes had said.

Also expected to take the stand in the new week is UK-based ballistics expert Dr Mark Robinson. Hughes stated that efforts are being made to have him flown to Guyana over the weekend.

According to information provided by Hughes, Robinson has a PhD in Solid State Physics and a BSc (Hons) in Applied Physics both from the University of London.

Hughes had described him as a Senior Forensic Scientist (Firearms Examiner) experienced in the laboratory and crime-scene examination of firearms and ammunition; the identification of bullets, cartridge cases and other fired materials; the interpretation of firing marks, projectile damage and wound characteristics; and distance-of-firing and trajectory reconstructions.

Robinson has been working in this field since 1987 and has assisted in several murder cases. He has also assisted in a number of cases for the Independent Police Complaints Commission involving the lethal use of firearms by the police (2005-6) and in 2010 he received a Head of Department Com-mendation from West Yorkshire Police for his work on a complex homicide.

Police had said that they had to resort to using tear gas and later fired shotgun cartridges at protestors, after missiles were hurled at them—an account challenged by some of the injured and others present at the protest. Post-mortem examinations on the bodies of the three men had determined that they were killed by live rounds and it was suggested that these were fired from handguns.