Unwilling witness feared for safety: cop at Haiart trial

A witness in a high-profile murder case was threatened and told his family would be killed if he testified, a Winnipeg courtwas toldWednesday.

Det.-Sgt. Dave Bessason testified Wednesday about his conversations with Gharib Abdullah after the shooting of Phil Haiart and Abass Jalloh in October 2005.

Prosecutors allege Haiart, who died of his injuries, and Jallohinadvertently walked into a gang-related shooting.

Earlier this month, Abdullah was supposed to testify at the trial of the accused, who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time of the shooting. He refused to testify and was convicted of contempt of court.

Bessason told the jury Abdullah was also supposed to testify in another trial in connection with the same murder; the accused in that case was 21-year-old Jeffrey Cansanay.

Abdullah was afraid to appear in court in that case, Bessason said. The witness told police his family had been threatened, and he feared his own and his family's safety may be in danger of harm by members of a Winnipeg street gang.

Abdullah told Bessason that Cansanay had approached him in jail and told him to lie in court, pinning the shooting on a fictitious third man at the scene, Bessason told the jury.

Abdullah would ultimately refuse to testify in both trials. He faces charges for contempt of court and obstruction of justice for his earlier refusal.Abdullah was convicted of contempt of court after refusing to testify in the current trial.He has not yet been sentenced.

Two other men also refused to testify and were convicted. Jammal Jacob was sentenced to three years in prison. Corey Amyotte has not yet been sentenced.

Taped statement puts accused at scene

Inavideotaped statement Abdullah made to police that was played for the jury Wednesday afternoon, he places the accused and Cansanay at the scene the night of Haiart's shooting.

Abdullahalso says thatCansanay used a .22-calibre pistol to fire at him and another person, a member of a street gang.

While racing away from the shooing, Abdullah tells police in the videotape, he yelled at two men walking down the street, telling them to leave.

He says one of those men was the victim who survived the shooting, Abass Jalloh.