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Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Pompeo trial expected to resume in November Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
T Courtesy: Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre
This female African spurred tortoise was saved last week while walking along Cowichan Lake Road. She was later reunited with her owners by Salt Spring Island wildlife-centre ofÄcials.
Wandering exotic tortoise returned safely home Reunited: Wayward girl back with owners after being discovered wandering along road Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
A
lf, the wayward African spurred tortoise, is safely back home, wildlife centre staff say. The female, believed to be about 50 years old, was reunited with Cody Bell and Victor Gough after news of her disappearance Friday, appeared in the press explaining how passersby plucked Alf from Cowichan Lake Road traf¿c.
Jackie Ballerone of Salt Spring Island’s Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre said Tuesday family friends read about the turtle’s traf¿c trip, and her rescue to the centre, then called the owners. “They identi¿ed her by a spot of paint on her shell, and also sent lots of photos of Alf at home,” Ballerone told the News Leader Pictorial of the pet’s positive ID. “They came to Salt Spring Sunday evening for a happy family reunion.” Affable Alf — initially believed to be a male tortoise — has lived on the family’s farm near Lake Cowichan for 15-odd years. “Her family says she was born in captivity from egg hood, and they have had her since she was small,” Ballerone said of the species at risk in its native Sahara region.
“We understand Alf lives in a large enclosure with outdoor space where she has sunlight and all the grass she wants,” Ballerone said. “During a family gathering, one of the visiting children left the gate to her enclosure unlocked and she headed out on an adventure. “Her human family, Cody Bell and uncle Victor Gough, love her dearly and were relieved to learn she was safe.” The family was unavailable for comment by press time Tuesday. “We’ve had her for a week and need to ¿nd her mom and dad,” Ballerone said prior to the reunion. “She wasn’t hit and isn’t dehydrated, which tells us she’s a recent escapee. “She was taking a stroll down the
highway.” The friendly tortoise was examined by Nanaimo vet and exotic specialist, Dr. Ian Lawrie. “She has to be maintained in a very speci¿c environment and can’t go to the wrong place — but someone has been taking proper care of her. “She can’t be released back to the wild; she’s been human-imprinted and wouldn’t make it,” Ballerone explained of the social animal unafraid of people. Spurred tortoise numbers are dropping in southern Africa due to poaching and habitat loss, while international trade rules ban the export of wild spurred tortoises. The tortoise species is the world’s third largest.
he trial of local North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP Const. David Pompeo will continue in November after nearly two weeks of testimony in Duncan provincial court. Last week, Judge Josiah Wood listened to more voir-dire evidence — a trial within a trial that bans publication of details — from Pompeo’s lawyer Ravi Hira, and various folks testifying about Pompeo’s Sept. 18, 2009 shooting of local Bill Gillespie. At times, Judge Wood seemed exasperated with the amount and detail of evidence Hira presented while questioning police on the stand. At issue is why and how Pompeo shot Gillespie in a private driveway off Juniper Road in Chemainus. It’s believed Crown counsel and Hira will next present arguments in Duncan court on Nov. 8 and 9. The case saw an unmarked vehicle, containing Pompeo and Const. David Birchett, pull over a car driven by Gillespie with Dale Brewer as a passenger. The shooting happened in Brewer’s driveway. Brewer was a known to police as drug user and had been involved in property crimes, while Gillespie was also a known drug user with a record of violence, court heard from Pompeo. Testimony has focussed on exactly what happened during the nighttime arrest when Gillespie was shot once. Witnesses have testi¿ed about RCMP training concerning the totality of situations that can be dangerous given a suspect’s attitude and behaviour.
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