FROM LEFT: Kenneth Pierre and Ricardo Stevenson

Corporal Ricardo Stevenson, who may soon be sent to the United States to face trial for the murder of US citizen, Balram “Balo” Maharaj, appeared in court on Wednesday, charged with the murder of real estate agent, Gerard Gopaul. Stevenson was one of three people who were not extradited to Washington DC in 2007 for Maharaj’s death. On Wednesday, he appeared before Justice Malcolm Holdip in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court, along with several others charged with killing Gopaul. Gopaul was abducted from the Diamond Recreation Club, Diamond Village, south Trinidad, on June 8, 2005. A $500,000 ransom demand was reportedly paid for his safe return, but his body was later discovered at Tram Trail Road, Caroni, on July 19, 2005.

Stevenson was represented by Theodore Guerra, SC, while the State was represented by prosecutor Jeron Joseph. Also appearing in court was Kenneth Pierre, who is also facing trial in Trinidad for Maharaj’s murder. The other accused who appeared in court were Clifford Sorias and Paul Boodoo. Another accused, Martin Crichlow, was not brought from the State Prison. Missing from the line-up were Wayne Pierre and Corporal Ricardo De Four, two of the seven men convicted in Washington DC for taking Maharaj hostage. According to the evidence in the Washington Federal Court, Wayne Pierre was the leader of the gang in control of the kidnapping of the US citizen, while De Four was described as the person who made sure that the road was clear after Maharaj was snatched.

The main witness in the Gopaul case is Jason Percival, a former soldier, who was the key witness for the US Government in the Maharaj trial. He pleaded guilty before Judge John Bates and will be among 11 Trinidadians who will be sentenced on February 12 next year. Percival would have to be brought back to Trinidad to give evidence for the prosecution in the Gopaul trial. All the accused were committed to stand trial by Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls on March 13, 2007, months before the FBI came and whisked away the wanted suspects. Holdip postponed the case to March 3, 2010.