-prosecution given until next week to locate overseas witness

Magistrate Renita Singh yesterday ruled that there will be no visit to the crime scene during the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder charge against Marcus Brian Bisram and the prosecution has been given until next week to locate an overseas-based witness or close its case.

It is alleged that Bisram between October 31, 2016 and November 1, 2016, at Number 70 Village, Corentyne, counselled, procured and commanded Harri Paul Parsram, Radesh Motie, Niran

Yacoob, Diodath Datt and Orlando Dickie to murder Faiyaz Narinedatt.

Present yesterday at the Whim Magistrate’s Court for the state was attorney Mandel Moore, who told the court that fellow state attorney Stacy Goodings was out of the jurisdiction, while Bisram’s attorney, Glenn Hanoman, told the court that lead defence counsel Sanjeev Datadin was dealing with national issues and co-counsel Dexter Todd was in the High Court and could not be present.

At the last hearing, an application for a site visit was made by the state. However, yesterday Magistrate Singh in her ruling indicated that “a visit to the locus would be more appropriate when the matter gets to the High Court.”

She stressed that the purpose of the preliminary inquiry is to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial and so a site visit would be better for jurors and a judge.

She further noted that presently there is no uncertainty of the location and distance based on the witnesses’ evidence.

Furthermore, the court heard that the state is yet to locate one of their witnesses, who resides overseas. They were given up to the next court date to locate the witness or close their case. The matter was adjourned until March 12.