Freed deaf/mute cherishing his freedom

Deaf/mute Bharath Mansingh is going to enjoy his freedom for the next couple of months before seeking his old job at Peake’s where he worked before he was charged with his brother’s murder.

Mansingh was acquitted on Wednesday of murdering his brother Mukesh in 1999, after a ten-minute deliberation by the jury in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court. At his St John’s Road, St Augustine residence yesterday, Mansingh, through his sister Melissa’s interpretations, told Newsday that while in jail for the last five months he was sad. He was first picked up in 1999 and was incarcerated for 11 months, before getting out on bail on a manslaughter charge for his brother’s killing. Mansingh then spent the next two years on the outside before he was once again picked up in February this year and charged with murder.

During his last five months incarceration, Mansingh said he spent most of the time watching fellow inmates play basketball, and when not doing that, he slept. He never attempted joining any game of basketball nor did he want to communicate with other inmates even though they tried to reach out to him. Instead Mansingh kept to himself and prayed. He said he knew all along why he was in jail but that he hardly ever thought about it. Now, he wants to relax for the next couple of months and the job that he once held in Peakes, he hopes that he can once again be employed to do it. Given his freedom now, when asked if he will be looking for a girlfriend in the immediate future, Mansingh furiously signaled an emphatic NO!

His father Gunness who was also present at the interview said that the first thing Bharath did on reaching his home was to spend time taking in the surroundings at their St. John’s home. Now that the ordeal is over, Gunness said that he will try to help his son with whatever he needs or chooses to do, and the first thing that came to mind is that Bharath loved going to church so this entire weekend he will be partaking in services at a Jehovah Witness church. Gunness also pointed out that while Bharath was incarcerated, it was just the mother of the accused and himself who stood by their son throughout the whole ordeal. The elder Bharath lamented that none of the friends who used to “lime’ with his son found the time to visit him at the jail. He added that he is only looking out for the best for his son and vowed to be home with and there for his son for as long as he lives. He added that he was grateful to his son’s lawyer, Israel Khan SC, who represented his child pro bono.