Police officers first to testify

THE Preliminary Inquiry into the kidnapping of nursery school student Saada Singh began yesterday at San Fernando Magistrates’ Court despite the absence of attorneys defending two of four persons charged with Singh’s kidnapping. Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington insisted on starting the inquiry yesterday, dismissing submissions by attorneys for the defence that the inquiry be postponed without evidence being heard. Eventually two State witnesses were called, testifying for just over half-an-hour. Four-year-old Saada was kidnapped from her school — Giselle’s Montessori — at Archibald Street in Vistabella on June 3. She was found wandering along Pluck Road in Siparia two days later. Yesterday, Saada’s mother Ria, turned up in court for the start of the inquiry. The four accused are former kindergarten teacher Kimberly Moonsammy, 22, of Jarvis Street, Vistabella; Jonathan Moonsammy, 21; Colleen Osbourne, 22, of Pleasantville and Keston Franklin, 25.

Osbourne is a mother of two young children. When the four appeared in the First Court yesterday, only Osbourne’s attorney, Wayne Sturge, was present. Sturge told Magistrate Wellington he was newly appointed as Osbourne’s counsel and received certain disclosures from the State mere hours before and needed time to consider the new information. Attorney Kevin Ratiram, holding for both Kimberly Moonsammy’s lawyer Dexter Bailey and Jonathan Moonsammy’s lawyer Ian Gray, informed the magistrate Bailey and Gray were absent because of commitments in other courts. Franklin’s attorney, Keith Beckles, was said to be ill. Magistrate Wellington rejected Ratiram’s call for an adjournment, especially after he was told by State attorney Chris Seelochan the State was ready to begin and five witnesses were present in court. The magistrate eventually reached a compromise with the defence that only formal witnesses be allowed to give evidence yesterday. Next hearing was fixed for November 25.