Chief witness collapses in court

Mar 31, 2011 News

… C.N. Sharma witness tampering case

One of the chief witnesses in the witness tampering case against Chandra Narine Sharma and his five associates, Ravi Mangar, Tyrone Ali, Mark Reid, Raywattie Ramsaywack and Doodnauth, collapsed in court yesterday.
The case was continuing before Magistrate Geeta Edmond-Chandan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
State-appointed prosecutor Sanjeev Datadin called frail-looking Tareesa Dhanraj to the witness stand. He then proceeded to lead her in her evidence in chief.
Dhanraj, who appeared to be quite nervous, related her name to the court in a very low voice. She also avoided making eye contact with the accused.
She got only as far relating her name and age when she buckled. The teen, who was clad in grey jeans with black and silver jersey, was quickly escorted out of the courtroom by female ranks.
The matter was stood down for a few minutes. The witness was then called back into the courtroom to sign to her evidence and was then hurriedly whisked away in a waiting police vehicle
At the commencement of yesterday’s preliminary hearing both lawyers representing the accused were present. Those lawyers are Vic Puran and Mark Waldron.
At the end of the day’s hearing, both the prosecutor and the counsel came to an agreement that April 15 will be convenient for continuation.
At the last hearing attorney at-law Mark Waldron excused himself minutes after the PI had started. Nevertheless Puran continued his cross-examination of Tariq Henry, who is a witness.
The six accused were all charged with obstruction of justice on April 23 last.
That charge arose from the previous allegation of carnal knowledge of a girl under 12 which he was facing. (Tiffany Bowen)