Cop: Dhanraj denied killing Hansraj Sumairsingh

WHEN HE was arrested, murder accused Dhanraj Singh denied he was involved in the killing of Hansraj Sumairsingh, Chairman of the Rio Claro/Mayaro Regional Corporation.

Sgt Fitzgerald George, who was attached to the Rio Claro Police Station when the murder was committed in 1999, testified yesterday in the San Fernando First Assize Court that before he arrested Singh, he seized a letter from Sumairsingh’s Rio Claro office that was addressed to then Prime Minister Basdeo Panday. George, who investigated Sumairsingh’s killing between December 31, 1999 and January 1, 2000, said he arrested Singh at the office of former Junior Works Minister Chandresh Sharma.

Singh, a former Minister of Local Government, allegedly contracted two men to kill Sumairsingh. One of the them, Elliot Hypolite, is to be presented by the State as the main prosecution witness. George said after he identified  himself, he told Singh he was investigating the murder of Sumairsingh. At the time, Singh was in the company of three attorneys. “I cautioned the accused and told him that he was not obliged to say anything, but anything he said would be taken down in writing and used against him in a court of law,” he said.

George said he read the letter to Singh and questioned him about it. Singh asked to speak with his attorneys. “Afterwards, he (Singh) made no reply,” George said. George said he told Singh he had a warrant to search his home and wanted him to accompany him but Singh refused. He said during the search of Singh’s home at Dyers Village, Williamsville, he told the accused he had further evidence about the murder. Again George warned Singh of his rights and the accused said he wanted to speak to his attorney, Shastri Prasad.  Singh denied any involvement in the murder of Sumairsingh. George said he subsequently received information and charged Singh with the murder.

Two lead particles extracted from the body of Sumairsingh by pathologist Dr Hughvon de Vignes at the Forensic Sciences Centre were tendered into evidence along with a blood-stained white T-shirt, a bed sheet and a piece of plastic taken from a bed at Sumairsingh’s beach house. George will continue giving evidence on Monday because of the early adjournment of yesterday’s hearing shortly after the morning break at 10:45 am. Hearing was adjourned  after Cassel raised a legal issue and the jury was put out of court.

Justice Baird will give his ruling on Monday, thereby postponing the much anticipated testimony of star witness Hypolite, who was expected to testify today. Attorney Ravi Rajcoomar told Justice Baird that following consultation with Cassel, it had been agreed that there would be no hearing today because Hudson-Phillips was due back home last night from London. Hudson-Phillips had been in the Hague where he was sworn in as a judge of the International Criminal Court. Instead of continuing with George’s evidence yesterday, Justice Baird postponed the hearing to Monday when George will return to the witness box. He will then be cross-examined by Hudson-Phillips.