Naraynsingh inquiry draws to a close

WITH four days set aside next week for hearing of the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Dr Chandra Naraynsingh, proceedings are expected to come to a close by next week Friday.  After State star witness Shawn Parris is finished giving evidence, the State has only three more witnesses to call. Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington yesterday scheduled all of next week, except Thursday, for the inquiry to continue. Hearing will resume at 10.15 am tomorrow, making it the 20th sitting since beginning on December 17. The case got off to a flying start with nine witnesses called by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard. The inquiry then slowed down as the 14th witness — star witness Junior Morris — remained in the witness box for six days.

Yesterday, Shawn Parris, the State’s second star witness in the inquiry, spent a tenth consecutive day on the stand. He spent nine of them under cross-examination by defence attorneys. Parris is serving a life sentence for shooting Dr Chandra Naraynsingh to death outside her workplace at the Langmore Health Foundation on June 29, 1994. More than ten years after the doctor’s death, her husband Prof Vijay Naraynsingh, his present wife Seeromanie Maharaj and car parts dealer Elton Ramasir are charged with Chandra’s murder. After cross-examination of Parris is completed, Gaspard is expected to call three police witnesses — Senior Supt Dyo Mohammed, Supt Nadir Khan and Sgt Johnny Abraham. 

Yesterday, defence attorney Larry Lalla sought the assistance of Wellington in soliciting answers from Parris during cross-examination. “It is obvious the witness (Parris) is trying to be difficult for obvious reasons,” Lalla complained to the magistrate. In one instance, when Lalla was stopped by the magistrate from pursuing a particular question, the defence attorney objected and told the magistrate his line of questioning was previously pursued by the other side. As Gaspard agreed with Lalla, the magistrate replied, “Forgive me. The matter is kind of long. I can’t remember everything.” Hearing continues tomorrow.