Lawyers debate photocopies at Naraynsingh inquiry

RECORDS of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) which documented a fire at a business place on Cipero Street in San Fernando, could not be tendered yesterday by attorneys defending Seeromanie Naraynsingh. Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington was told that the fire records were yet to be certified by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security. Yesterday, Seeromanie’s attorney Prakash Ramadhar told Magistrate Wellington that the fire records would show that  the location containing the evidence given by the State’s star witnesses — Shawn Parris and Junior Morris — was burnt to the ground on May 10, 1994.

Wellington granted the attorneys a day to put their “house” in order to produce documentary evidence of the fire records which forms part of the defence case in the charge against Seeromanie and Cipero Street businessman Elton Ramasir for the murder of Dr Chandra Naraynsingh. Wellington adjourned hearing for today, when it is expected that defence attorney Prakash Ramadhar will call Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) (South) Curwyn Callendar to the witness stand to tender the fire records. Ramadhar is contending that the fire records are rebuttal evidence against that led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard during earlier hearings of the murder inquiry.

Ramadhar told the magistrate yesterday that the defence needed more time to have the records from the Fire Services Division certified by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security. Yesterday’s hearing involved the two remaining accused Seeromanie and Ramasir, as Prof Naraynsingh was discharged last Friday by Magistrate Wellington, who found that there was insufficient evidence for a case against the professor. The magistrate held that a prima facie case had been made out against Seeromanie and Ramasir, and called on them to make their defence.

When told by Ramadhar that the defence would call ADFO Callender, the magistrate asked for what purpose. Ramadhar explained: “This is in relation to the locus of alleged conversations with the accused. This evidence will show that the locus was razed to the ground a month before the supposed conversations occurred.” Ramadhar said the defence had copies of the fire records, but had difficulty with getting the documents certified by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security in time for yesterday’s hearing. Hearing will resume today at 11 am.