THE announcement that prominent attorney-at-law Mr. Vic Puran had been found dead in his vehicle at Esau and Jacob at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara shocked members of the Linden Commission of Inquiry (CoI) yesterday morning before work commenced.

Puran, who was last seen at the CoI when it adjourned on Monday afternoon, was in high spirits after the cross examination of APNU’s Regional Chairman Mr. Sharma Solomon, Videographer Mr. Vladimir Glasgow, and MP Mrs. Vanessa Kissoon.
At the commencement of its work yesterday, the CoI observed a minute’s silence in Puran’s honour. The empty chair on which he used to sit bore ample testimony to his absence from the proceedings.
During the session, the Guyana Chronicle managed to secure comments on Puran’s august person from some of his

colleagues in the legal profession.

Attorney-at-law Mrs. Latchmie Rahamat, in her few words, said she was very lucky to have worked with Mr. Puran as a

colleague, both together and on opposing sides in practice. She described him as a good colleague who had earned his reputation as one of the greatest attorneys in criminal cases, and she said she was shocked at the news of his passing.
Peter Hugh, attorney for the Guyana Police Force, said that Puran’s passing was a great loss to the legal fraternity. He described Puran as one of the dedicated attorneys. In brief remarks, Hugh said the news of Puran’s passing was shocking to his colleagues on the CoI.
Mr. Hukumchand, another attorney representing the Guyana Police Force, spoke briefly of his encounters with Vic Puran. In a soft voice, he indicated that Puran had featured in a number of high-profile cases, and had been very successful in his advocacy. Hukumchand said it was shocking for him to have learnt of Puran’s passing. He said the circumstances surrounding Puran’s death needed to be examined.
Attorney for the deceased at the Commission of Inquiry, Mr Nigel Hughes, expressed condolences to the CoI on behalf of the Guyana Bar Association, and sought for those present to observe a minute’s silence for his colleague, the late Vic Puran.
APNU’s representative Mr. Basil Williams also expressed condolences on behalf of the APNU party, and made mention of Puran as a dedicated attorney. Williams was brief in his remarks, as he remained shocked at receiving the news.
The CoI Chairman, Hon. Justice Lensley H. Woolfe, also expressed his condolences to all of Puran’s colleagues and family members on behalf of the commissioners.