‘Phillip was dead at Westmoorings’

ALICIA SEERATTAN, sister of slain teenager Phillip Seerattan be-lieves that her brother was killed at the Inter-national School premises at Westmoorings. She does not believe that he died at the St Clair Medical Centre.

Alicia said when she arrived at the Internation-al School on November 20, 2002, Phillip was being carried on a stretcher. “He was bleeding. He was bleeding through his eyes, neck and head. He did not respond to me; he was just cold.” Alicia said she accompanied her brother in the ambulance to the St Clair Medical Centre. “I was told that he died there. I don’t believe that, I believe that he died upstairs (International School).” Alicia described her dead brother as a quiet and shy person. She denied that Phillip exhibited any unusual behaviour. She also denied ever hearing her brother use racist remarks. Chief Magistrate Sher-man Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner, is conducting an inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of 17-year-old Phillip Seerattan. Patricia Roberts is looking after the interest of the Seerattan family. Martin George represents the two police officers involved in the shooting — PC Gary Moore and WPC Suad Weekes. Lydia Mendonca appears for the Inter-national School, while Inspector Lynette Fergus-son is the court prosecutor. Hearing resumes on September 25.

Alicia, who is a director of her family business, said that on November 20, 2002, she was in her office when she received a telephone call from Phillip around 2.08 pm. “I asked him if he wanted me to take him to classes. He did not respond. He then responded ‘come straight home’. I told him okay.” Two minutes later, Alicia said she received a call from her father Jadoonanan Seerattan. She found out that Phillip had taken her father’s car — something which she found to be unusual. She called her other brother, Stephen and spoke to him. She remained at the office while her father went in search of Phillip. “It was about 15 minutes after, that I received a call from Phillip. I overheard someone in the background arguing. I asked Phillip who that was. He just replied, ‘some guy.’ Phillip told me to come and pick him up...that he was at the International School. He told me if I did not come and pick him up, he will die.” Alicia said she tried to question her brother, but the cell phone was giving trouble. Alicia said she headed for the International School.  When she got there, there were a lot of police officers. “I asked where was the shooting and where was the gunman?” The witness said she then saw her brother on a stretcher being taken to the ambulance.

Seerattan’s brother Stephen also testified yesterday. On the fateful day, he was attending a function at the Centre of Excellence when he received a call from his sister Alicia. “She told me that Phillip took daddy’s car and went off with it. I asked her why he did that, but she said she did not know. I asked her to keep me informed. She called me back five minutes later and said Phillip was down at the International School at Westmoorings.” Stephen said he called his brother and asked him what was happening and where he was. Phillip did not answer and the cellphone went dead. Stephen was unable to reach his brother again. The witness said he went to the International School. When he arrived there, the ambulance was ready to leave. He did not see his wounded brother. The following day, he accompanied his father to the Forensic Science Centre where he saw Phillip’s body on a trolley. His father identified the body to pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes. On November 22, Phillip was cremated at the St James Cremato-rium after a funeral service at the All Saints An-glican Church, Newtown.