Defence counsel dubs star witness a ‘hearsay liar’
LEADING Prosecutor Miss Latchmie Rahamat, on Thursday last, called star witness Umdatt Rafeek to the stand, who said that he saw accused, Lakenauth Dial, called Mohan, knife to death Farzam Khan on February 2, 2008.
But under cross-examination, the star witness denied the suggestion by defence counsel, Vic Puran, that he (the witness) was a ‘hearsay liar’ who was not present at the scene and was a witness of convenience.
In answering questions, the witness, Rafeek, gave divergent answers to the same question and had to be warned by the judge.
Miss Rahamat is being assisted by Prosecutor Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin.
According to the leading prosecutor, the deceased went to a wedding house on Clay Brick Road, West Bank Demerara to buy ‘cokes’ as there was a stand on the road corner selling aerated drinks.
When he got there, he got out of the car and, according to the evidence of Umdatt Rafeek, he saw when the accused walked up to  Farzan, pulled out a knife from his waist and started ‘boring’ Farzan Khan.
A post mortem examination was performed on the body of the deceased and the cause of death was given as perforation of blood vessels to the neck and lungs due to stab wounds.
The trial is continuing.