Witness tells of horrific scene at victim’s porch

Awitness to an incident which led to the death of Sakoca resident Bal Krishna Naidu, on November 17, 2016 told the High Court yesterday that he saw the victim standing on his porch engulfed in flames. Accused Marriane Premila Devi is facing trial before Justice Salesi Temo for one count of murder. She is alleged to have thrown kerosene on her de facto partner and set him alight at their home in Sakoca, Khalsa Road.

The witness told Justice Temo that between 5pm and 6pm on the day of the alleged incident he was in his home when he saw the victim yelling for help from his porch.

He said the victim was about 20 footsteps away from him and his legs, arms, thighs, trousers and stomach were on fire.

When he saw the victim he said he immediately called out to the victim’s wife, who was inside the house, and told her to bring a bed sheet.

He said the victim’s wife brought the bed sheet to him and he used it to wrap the victim’s body. He then took the victim to his taxi, at which point he asked the victim how he got burnt.

The witness said the victim told him that his wife poured kerosene on him and set him on fire.

He said the victim’s younger daughter was with them at the time as they conversed in the Hindi language.

State lawyer Sujata Lodhia asked the witness to describe the victim’s tone to which he said he was speaking in a soft tone and was talking slowly.

He also added that the victim was shaking. The court heard that the witness took the victim to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital. He said he had known the victim for about a year when the victim bought a piece of land from him. The second witness to give evidence was the CWM doctor who examined the victim at the hospital. Doctor Amit Sewak said he saw the patient at about 7pm on November 17, 2016, and after assessing him he was found with 80 per cent burns to his body.

Dr Sewak said the victim was in pain and did not respond to his questions.

The doctor also testified that he questioned the accused at the hospital who told him that she poured kerosene on the victim. Defence lawyer Lisiate Qetaki asked Dr Sewak to describe the accused’s demeanour at the hospital, to which he said the accused was calm and was standing beside the victim’s bed and looking at him. Trial continues in the High Court today.

The accused is in remand.