Cops charged with killing Seerattan

“I ORDER the issue of warrants of arrests for the unlawful killing of Phillip Seerattan at the International School on November 20, 2002.” These words, uttered yesterday by Coroner Sherman McNicolls to PC Gary Moore and WPC Suad Weekes, caused an uncanny chill to descend upon the Port-of-Spain Four A Magistrates’ Court. Nobody spoke or moved for approximately 30 seconds until the meaning of the Coroner’s unexpected statement had finally hit home. Prior to his order, McNicolls had recapped the evidence given by some of the 38 witnesses that had been called, especially focusing on the “critical”evidence of Moore, Weekes and the student who had been “held hostage” in the computer room with Seerattan.

Seerattan, 17, was fatally shot during an exchange of gunfire with the officers at the Westmoorings school. He had earlier entered the school’s compound armed with his father’s Smith and Wesson pistol, and had shot a security guard. McNicolls conceded that, on the day in question, Seerattan was “a disturbed young man and had suicidal tendencies.” The young man, he said, had shot security guard, William Ramnarine with the intention to kill.

However, the Coroner said, based on the somewhat conflicting evidence given by the officers and the student, he (McNicolls) concluded that Seerattan could not have had time to pick up the weapon to shoot at the officers. Moore had on January 27 testified that the firearm had been at the teenager’s feet before he (Seerattan) became aware that the police were outside the room. Additionally, McNicolls said, the officers had been forewarned that the teenager was armed, yet both had testified that they had their firearms on safety mode and in a holster until they were forced to defend themselves.

What was also significant, McNicolls said, was the fact that Moore could vividly recall the physical position of the teenager during the shootout, but could not recall injuries he (Seerattan) had sustained, nor the blood emanating from those injuries. McNicolls also expressed great concern about the unexplained way in which Seerattan sustained the entry wound to the back of his head. Pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes had on November 20, 2003, testified that Seerattan had been intoxicated on the day in question and would not have been standing “rigidly straight.” 

The teen, Des Vignes had said, could have sustained the wound if he had been “stumbling and turning” during the shootout. According to the pathologist, the gunshot wound was one of two that was responsible for the teen’s death. McNicolls criticised the manner in which the firearm used by Seerattan was “preserved” by the officers and, moreso, the trivial way in which senior officers had treated with what he felt was poor preservation of the crime scene.

Throughout the proceedings, both officers sat with expressionless faces, Moore with his arms folded and Weekes with her hands clasped on her lap. Their attorney, Martin George, swiftly took notes, casting occasional glances at McNicolls. The Seerattan family was represented by Patricia Roberts. Lydia Mendonca was seeking the interest of the school. Following the Coroner’s instructions, Moore and Weekes silently exited the courtroom. Since McNicolls did not immediately issue the warrants, the two were allowed to walk freely out of the St Vincent Street courthouse. The warrants are expected to be executed by the end of the week.