A former murder suspect is attempting to sue the Government to recover items, including gold bars and diamonds, seized during a drug raid last October.

An affidavit included in the writ is now being used as evidence against him in a trial regarding alleged ownership of drug equipment.

Kennith Bulford, 35, was charged with possessing five pieces of PVC piping used in connection with cocaine.

Bulford was previously a suspect in the 2003 shooting death of Shaundae Jones in Dockyard.

After being questioned, he fled Police bail, but was extradited back to the Island from Jamaica in 2005 to face firearms charges.

That case was later thrown out after a key Crown witness withdrew his evidence.

On October 30, 2008, Police searched the Beacon Hill, Sandys apartment that Bulford shared with his cousin under the misuse of drugs act.

During the search, officers seized the contents of a locked safe, which included two gold bars, diamonds, jewellery and large amounts of both Bermuda and US cash.

The total value of the items found in the safe was estimated at around $57,450.

In August, Bulford and his lawyer Saul Fromkin issued a writ against the Attorney General for the return of the seized items.

During the trial yesterday, Crown counsel Cindy Clark questioned several Police officers involved in the raid and the following investigation.

Jeff Baron, who was a Sergeant in the Community Action Team at the time of the raid, testified that during the raid officers found the door to one of two bedrooms locked.

After knocking and receiving no response, Inspector Mark Clark knocked the door down to gain access.

Inspector Clark testified that the bedroom door had been secured with what appeared to be three deadbolt-type locks.

"I had to kick it in," he said. "Repeatedly."

He said that the bedroom appeared completely different from the rest of the house, saying: "It was opulent compared to the rest of the apartment. It had nicer things."

PC Jason Trott, a search officer during the raid, said that minutes after entering the bedroom, he discovered PVC piping hidden underneath the bed.

"They looked like they were used to contain something," he said.

When questioned by Mr. Fromkin, all of the officers said that Bulford was not at the apartment at any time during the search, and that no drugs or drug equipment were found inside the safe.

A Government analyst later discovered trace amounts of cocaine on four of the five pieces of piping.

Narcotics expert Detective Constable Trevor Knight said that PVC piping, like that found under Bulford's bed, is sometimes used by those in the drug trade to hide and store illegal drugs.

"The drug dealer will use them to hide large quantities of money or large quantities of drugs and bury them or submerse them in water," he explained.

Detective Constable Christine Mullings said that on August 17, she received an affidavit signed by Bulford relating to his lawsuit against the Government.

In the affidavit, Bulford confirmed that he lived in the searched apartment and wrote: "I keep my door locked so that no one other than myself has access to it.

"Inside, there is a safe that only I have the combination to, in which I keep my documents, jewellery, and sizeable amounts of money from my Crown and Anchor business."

The affidavit continued to state that although charges had not been filed against him, he had not been given back the seized property.

Mr. Fromkin questioned Mrs. Mullings' written testimony, which stated that she only commenced the investigation on August 17, when the lawsuit was put forward.

Mrs. Mullings responded that the affidavit itself was evidence against Bulford.

"When I received the affidavit, it confirmed that Bulford lived there and that nobody else had access to that room or anything in that room," she said.

Acting Magistrate Graveney Bannister ordered that the trial will continue on January 6 in Magistrates' Court.