Berbice businessman murder PI...Main witness ordered into custody to facilitate further cross-examination

Berbice businessman murder PI…Main witness ordered into custody to facilitate further cross-examination

Sep 06, 2016 News

The main witness in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of businessman Shameer Ali-Mursalin, was ordered to remain in police custody to facilitate further cross-examination, when the matter continued yesterday before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Magistrate’s Court at Springlands, East Berbice, Corentyne.
Mursalin, called ‘Kazac,’ a trader, of Grant 1805 Weld Tank Dam, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, was fatally shot to the head on October 24, 2015.
Fellow Berbice businessman, Dennis Veerasammy and two of his employees, Basheer Harrinauth and Delroy Fraser, are before the court for the murder.
The case attracted media attention after it was reported that Magistrate Singh had allowed the main witness, Rocky Profitt, to testify without permitting him to review the evidence or sign his deposition. This took place in mid-August.
Ever since, the witness had not attended court.
On the last occasion, Police Prosecutor Bernard Brown told the court that he was informed that Profitt had been seeking medical attention at a city hospital.
According to the prosecutor, the witness was unable to attend court due to issues related to his health.
The Magistrate had therefore reminded the court that a warrant was still out for Profitt’s arrest.
But amidst public debate over the uncertified evidence (deposition), Profitt returned to court yesterday. He was allowed to review and sign his evidence after explaining to the Magistrate that he was ill and could not attend court. The witness also provided a medical certificate to support his reason for being absent at the previous hearings.
After the evidence was re-read to him by the Magistrate, Profitt told the court that he had no difficulty with the information contained (in the deposition), which he then signed.
The witness also faced questioning from Attorney Chandra Sohan, who appeared for the number one accused. Sohan also cross-examined another witness, Jagdeo Ramdass. An arrest warrant was also issued for Ramdass on the last occasion.
However, following cross-examination by Sohan, Magistrate Singh ordered that the main witness, Profitt, remain in custody at the Springlands Police lockups, pending further cross-examination from another attorney from Legal Aid, who was expected to enter an appearance on behalf of the other two accused.
Kaieteur News understands that the said lockup is also the holding cell for the accused in the matter. The witness was however placed in the waiting area of the police station until the matter resumed at 1:00 pm yesterday. He was later released from custody after the lawyer did not show up when the matter was recalled.
The case was then adjourned until Thursday, September 8.

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