FORTY-YEAR-OLD mother of two Bibi Shamiza Khan, who had allegedly signed a confession statement in the stepfather murder case, denied so doing, but admitted that while suffering from diabetic spells, the police had given her a paper and showed her where to sign.

The accused, who was yesterday giving a sworn statement from the witness box, said she had been a diabetic for 13 years, and on the day in question, the police had kept her in custody without giving her food, and she had been suffering from dizziness.

In her evidence in chief, she also told her lawyer, Mr. Bernard De Santos, S.C., that she could neither read nor write.

On resumption of the trial yesterday, the three accused were told that they could take refuge in silence; remain in the dock and say nothing; or give an unsworn statement from the dock, where no one could ask them questions. They all elected to testify from the witness box on oath, where they would be subjected to cross-examination.

The defendants in this murder case — Bibi Shamiza Khan, also called Sham; Hoosman Khan, called ‘Strong Man’; and Bibi Farida Khan, also called ‘Pum’ — are accused of having, on September 7, 2009 in the county of Demerara, murdered Motilall Singh.

In her testimony, Bibi Shamiza said she and her sister live at Windsor Forest. Her husband Ayube Hamid had been charged with the said murder, but he died in prison. She said she had been suffering from diabetes for 13 years, and used to receive treatment from the Best Hospital.

She said she was kept at the Leonora Police Station without food, and because the police did not give her anything to eat, she had felt dizzy. She said she had left her two small children at her home without anyone to care for them, and that she had told the police that she wanted to go and look after her children.

In answer to her attorney, Mr De Santos, she said Cpl Foo had handed her the paper, showed her where to sign, and had said that after she had signed she would be allowed to go home.

In answer to further questions, she said she has had a good relationship with her mother, who lives in New York City, and that she also has a brother living in New York and a brother living in Suriname. She also said that, from time to time, her mother would send money to her children living in Guyana.

According to her, Motilall had come to Guyana because his brother had died. She said that when Motilall was in Guyana, he used to stay at her home, and they had had a good relationship.

Told by Prosecurix Miss Natasha Backer about the allegation that she had gotten together with Farida and the other accused to kill Motilall because he and her mother had a disagreement, the accused Bibi denied the allegation and said, “I could hold the Quran; I never killed Moti”.

When the hearing continues today, the other two accused are expected to testify.