By: Andrew Carmichael
Evidence by the lone witness, who has been mandated to take the stand and give evidence in the Marcus Bisram trial for the murder of Fayaz Narinedat, a Corentyne carpenter, commenced on Thursday and went into the evening at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.
Chaman Chunilall is the lone witness who Magistrate Renita Singh is allowing to give evidence from the docks during the Preliminary Inquiry (PI).
The other seventeen witnesses will have their statements tendered during a paper committal.
On Thursday, Chunilall took the stand and led his evidence stating what he saw and heard as it relates to Bisram’s involvement in the death of Narinedat.
The hearing was held in camera.
Attorney Sanjeev Datadin told reporters after the hearing concluded on Thursday evening that Chunilall was the only witness the defence wanted to cross-examine.
“We crossed-examined him and it went very well. We were saying all along that there was no evidence. I think today (Thursday) will vindicate us that there was none.”
Meanwhile, Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, who also forms part of the defence team, said they were successfully able to put forward the defence’s case.
“I think it is commendable that the court took this first witness for the prosecution. The Magistrate did take her time in giving both the State and the defence to be finished with this particular witness so that we don’t have to come back on another occasion to complete this witness.”
This, Todd said, is crucial in light of what has been happening. He commended Magistrate Singh for her approach and conduct during Thursday’s hearing.
The State has 18 witnesses to prove its case that Bisram did order the death of the carpenter back in November 2016. However, last week, Magistrate Singh ruled that the prosecution will only be allowed to call Chunilall to the witness stand. The evidence of the other witnesses will be accepted by way of their statements submitted to the Police.
The defence has made a request to cross-examine a second witness. According to Todd, if that witness is made available, then the defence will proceed to cross-examine that witness.
The matter comes up again on Thursday when the Court is expected to visit the alleged crime scene and then all statements to be used as evidence will be marked and tendered as evidence.
Bisram is accused of ordering the death of Fayaz Narinedatt, a carpenter of Number 70 Village Corentyne, on November 30, 2016.
His death was initially reported as a suspected hit-and-run accident. It was later reported that Bisram made sexual advances to Narinedatt, who objected to the advances. Bisram was initially charged here in absentia, while five others: Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, and Niran Yacoob have also been committed to stand trial for the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt. That case is listed for the February session of the Berbice Assizes.
