Fernandes murder trial, Demerara Assizes…
PROSECUTOR  Judith Gildharie-Mursalin was about to close her submissions on Wednesday when defence counsel Mr. Glenn Hanoman  intervened to point out that an eye witness who testified at the Preliminary Inquiry ought to be called at the current trial. This stoppage and request resulted in trial Judge, Mr. James Bovell-Drakes deciding to conduct a voir dire to determine the issue.

The hearing of the smaller trial will continue on Tuesday next when the prosecution is expected to make a certain submission in relation to the matter.

The accused Compton Fernandes alias ‘Mad man’ is indicted fore the murder of Latchman Seeram called ‘Coolie Boy’ in Commerce Street, Georgetown, on July 3, 2005.

An eye witness Kwesi Mc Kay, a clothes vendor, said that he was in Commerce Street on the Day in question when he saw the accused Compton Fernandes beat Seeram, now deceased.

Mc Kay said that he was in his stall when Seeram and another man were taken to Commerce Street by the accused and someone else.

Mc Kay denied that he was paid by Mark Rodney and Kerene Jacobs,, also vendors, and that he had agreed to put the blame on the accused and gave a statement to the police to protect the others.

He said that it was not true that at least five persons beat the victim but he did not know if the latter was beaten elsewhere before he saw the accused beating Seeram in Commerce Street.

Leading the prosecution team is Miss Prithima Kissoon with Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Savini Balcharan.

Senior Superintendent of Police Winston Cosbert was one of the witnesses called in the smaller trial being held to determine, among other things, the admissibility of caution statements attributed to the four accused.

Leading State Prosecutor Ganesh Hira is expected to close his case today, paving the way for Defence to begin.

Justice Brassington Reynolds is presiding at the trial of the quartet indicted for unlawfully killing Teddy Smith, on October 24, 2004.

In the dock are 17-year-olds Christopher Dhanraj also known as Paul Jagnandan, Azim Khan, Vijay Rajkumar called Eon and Kumar Seeraj nicknamed ‘Boysie’.

They are being represented by Defence Counsel Hukumchand, Kamini Parag, Euclin Gomes and Adrian Thompson.

Hira is associated with other State Counsel Latchmie Rahamat and Rhondel Weever.