Jury found accused not guilty
– freed by trial judge Winston Patterson

JUSTICE Winston Patterson, the presiding judge in the West Bank Demerara murder trial, last night freed accused Lakenauth Dial, called Mohan, for the murder of Farzan Khan on the night of February 2, 2008.
The mixed jury had found the accused not guilty at a trial which lasted 33 days, on the evidence of a one man eyewitness, Umdat Rafee, who said he saw his friend “juk up” the deceased Farzan Khan in the region of the neck.
According to Government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, who performed the post-mortem, Khan’s death was due to injury inflicted on her neck.
The prosecution, led by Miss Latchmie Rahamat until Wednesday last,  when Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin took over, had contended that the accused had stabbed to death Khan who left a wedding house that night to purchase a soft drink when he was attacked.
During the trial, the prosecution had attempted to tender in evidence two confession statements which were thrown out following a voir dire by the judge to determine admissibility.
Another voir dire (a trial within a trial) was held by the judge to determine the prosecution’s application to put into evidence the deposition of a witness who has migrated and that application was also refused.
Under cross examination, Rafee gave the impression that he was lying and later refused to answer questions from the judge and the defence counsel, forcing the counsel to cut short his cross-examination.