…adjourned to January 18
THE preliminary inquiry (PI) in the Neesa Gopaul murder case resumed yesterday before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Robert Tyndall, prosecuting, called the sixth witness, Detective Inspector Joel David of the Brickdam Police Station, to be cross-examined by the defence team, but there was no appearance. The prosecution proceeded to call two other witnesses and again there were  no appearances.
Tyndall made an application to have an adjournment in the case, but both defence lawyers, Mr. Bernard De Santos and Mr. Vic Puran, objected to the application.
Puran in his submission to the court, stated that if the adjournment date is granted to the prosecution, then it will not be done in good faith.
The lawyer said Mr. David was seen earlier in the court yard and he suddenly disappeared. He said cross-examination of the witness was expected to be completed.
“This is a demonstration by the prosecution to secure an adjourn date and it is very alarming. Therefore, I am asking that my client be discharged,” said Puran.
According to the lawyer, the witnesses were just a phone call away, and yet the prosecution could not ensure the witnesses were present.
Puran said he is aware that there are difficulties in the case and he is of the view that the prosecution is deliberately trying to frustrate the defence.
De Santos made the same submission,  and added that it appears as if the court is being conducted by the prosecution.
He objected on legal grounds that it will not be right for the magistrate to grant another adjournment date in favour of the prosecution.
In response, the magistrate said she does not approve of having to wait on the prosecution. She said the date was set for the witness to continue being cross-examined by the defence.
Arrest warrants for the witnesses were issued, ordering that the prosecution present the witnesses within one hour, and if not, the prosecution will face the consequences.
The magistrate ordered a recess and came off the bench. Within fifteen minutes, Tyndall walked into the courtroom, followed by a smiling David.
Mr. Tyndall informed the court that he was told that the other witnesses were on their way.
The arrest warrant was withdrawn from David who entered the witness box and was crossed-examined by Mr. Puran.
After a lengthy cross-examination, the case was adjourned to January 18, when Puran is expected to complete his cross-examination with the witness.
The prosecution is expected to call 27 witnesses. To date only six witnesses have been called.
Jarvis Small and the victim’s mother, Bibi Sharima Gopaul, are charged with murdering the former Queen’s College student between September 24 and October 2, at Madewini on the  Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
The body of the 16-year-old was found stuffed in a suitcase in Madewini Creek near Emerald Tower Resort.