Cop faces questions about police diary in Issa trial

The investigating officer in the case against businessman Michael Issa today faced questions about a police station diary which was entered into evidence.

Issa is being tried for indecent language, abusive language and resisting arrest.

He was arrested and originally charged with negligent loss of a firearm, resisting arrest and indecent language on the night of January 13 this year, hours after his stepson Gabriel King was murdered.

It is understood that the loss of the firearm was not connected to the death of the child.

The firearm charge was dismissed before the start of the trial on May 16.

Today, Detective Sergeant Michael Chisholm returned to the stand to continue his evidence-in-chief.

Issa's attorney Michael Hemmings raised concerns that several pages in the police diary had no entries for different dates.

He was making reference to the lack of a diary entry prior to December 17, 2021, which he had previously identified as the date when Issa made a report that his licensed firearm went missing.

“There is no rule or policy to say, for example, that the 16th day [of any particular month] must be recorded. The entries must reflect the day when an incident occurred,” explained the investigating officer.

Hemmings requested a copy of an entry in the diary, which he said would assist in building Issa's defence.

The trial continues in the St James Parish Court on June 13.

- Christopher Thomas 

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