FOLLOWING the close of the prosecution’s case in the stepfather murder conspiracy trial at the Demerara Assizes yesterday morning, defence counsel, Mr. Bernard De Santos, S.C. asked the court for permission to begin his defence today.Presiding judge, Madame Justice Dawn Gregory, granted the request.

The accused, Bibi Shamiza Khan, also called ‘Sham’, Hoosman Khan, called ‘Strongman’, and Bibi Farida Khan, called ‘Pum’, are indicted for the murder of Motilall Singh, on September 7, 2009.
They were charged following the death of their stepfather after they made statements claiming that they had instructions from their mother who sent them US$700 from overseas to hire a killer, to kill their stepfather who was at the time on a visit to Guyana.
In caution statements which the court found they had voluntarily made to the police, they gave an account of the plot and persons whom they hired to kill their stepfather who was murdered on September 7, 2009 on the West Coast of Demerara.
Defence Counsel is contending that the police used various methods to get the witnesses, who have a history of diabetes to sign make-up statements, while they were ill from fatigue and stress.
In answer to questions under cross-examination Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who performed the post-mortem, disclosed that a person suffering from diabetes could find themselves in a coma.
The doctor who was the last witness to testify for the prosecution yesterday said that Motilall Singh died from multiple incised wounds.
On the external examination, the doctor said he found 20 incised wounds on the body of Motilall Singh.
The trial has so far lasted three weeks during which 13 witnesses have testified.
State lawyers Ms. Natasha Backer and Ms. Mercedes Thompson are prosecuting.
The trial continues today.