DEFENCE Counsel Moti Singh yesterday called Susan Weekes to the witness box to testify under oath and there she detailed the events of June 30, 2011, the night Clementine Fiedtkou-Parris was gunned down in her Robb Street home by one of two men.

The woman told the court that she received a telephone call stating that her foster brother Kevin October, who is the number two accused in the murder of the 72-year-old woman, was in police custody at Brickdam Police Station.

She was told to take food for him, which she did and she saw him in the lock-ups area where she waved to him and asked if he was alright. He said “yes” and she left after she was told to uplift his car keys from the Enquiries Office.

Weeks further testified that she returned to the same station on July 1, 2011 and October was still in the lock-ups and again she took a meal for him.

Under cross-examination by State Prosecutor Teshanna James-Lake, Weeks said there was no reason to lie because she could vividly recall the day in question when her relative was at the Brickdam Station in the lock-ups.

When questioned, she stated that it was not the first time October was in police custody and she was never asked to give a statement to that effect.

Weekes said she was not there to “prop up” for her foster brother, but to tell the truth when the Prosecutor put it to her that she was there in court to fabricate that bit of evidence.

Defence Counsel George Thomas also made his submissions in court for the number one accused Orwin Hinds, while Moti Singh also made his closing remarks for the number two accused, Kevin October.

Raymond Alli later made his submission for the number three accused Cleon Hinds and Maxwell McKay also closed for the number four accused, Roy Jacobs.

The trial will continue on Monday morning when the State is expected to make its closing submission before Justice Navindra Singh’s summation and a verdict by the 12-member jury.

Orin Hinds, called “Redman” of Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, East Bank Demerara; Kevin October called “Troy” of Second Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara; Cleon Hinds; and Roy Jacobs called “Chippie” or “Black Boy” of Evans Street, Charlestown, are currently facing Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed 12-member jury for the murder.

According to the indictment, the four men murdered Clementine Fiedtkou-Parris pursuant to an arrangement, whereby money was to be passed from one person to another.
On the evening of June 30, 2011, two men went to Fiedtkou-Parris’s Robb Street home asking for “Auntie,” a sobriquet or nickname by which she was called. They were directed up a side step and as Fiedtkou-Parris emerged from her bedroom, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot her several times to the upper part of her body.
The men then jumped into a waiting car while the injured woman was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, defence counsel Maxwell McKay was held in contempt of court for arriving late and he was fined $5000 which he will have to pay within seven days or face imprisonment.

By Michel Outridge