Star witness relates how Sumairsingh was killed

ELLIOT HYPOLITE yesterday told a judge and jury that Dhanraj Singh ordered: “Ah want Hansraj dead!”

Called as the star witness by the State in the San Fernando First Assize Court, Hypolite, also known as “Abdullah” gave an account of how the former Local Government Minister hired him and two other men to kill Sumairsingh, former chairman of the Rio Claro/Mayaro regional Corporation. It was a job for which, he testified, Singh personally handed him $7,000 in cash. Hypolite also told the court how Singh invited him at his home in Williamsville where he showed him guns in a bag.

It was around mid-morning yesterday when British Queen’s Counsel and lead prosecutor, Sir Timothy Cassel, announced Hypolite as the State’s next witness. There was silence in the packed courtroom as a Marshall escorted Hypolite to the witness box. The former member of the Jamaat al Muslimeen took the oath on a copy of the Koran to speak the truth. Cassel’s first question to Hypolite was concise — were you present when Sumairsingh (Hansraj) was killed. “Yes Sir!” Hypolite, wearing a plaid shirt and khaki trousers, answered. After the formalities of how he was prosecuted and subsequently pardoned for the killing, Cassel asked Hypolite if he knew Singh.

The State is alleging that Singh contracted Hypolite to kill Sumairsingh at the latter’s beach house in Mayaro between December 30, 1999 and January 1, 2000. Hypolite said he first met Singh in September, 1999 at the Tunapuna Regional Corporation offices. He was welding burglar proofing then, he said, when he and Singh introduced themselves. And Singh’s first words to him, Hypolite told the judge and jury, was: “I have a job for you.” I asked what kinda job and he said “to deal with a man”. Singh, sitting in the dock, often smiled at Hypolite’s answers. Hypolite, lead by Cassel, took the judge and jury through the events which led to Sumairsingh’s killing, an act which he said, he participated in. Hypolite said he next met Singh at the opening ceremony of the Rum Bond on the Eastern Main Road in late December, 1999, where the witness said, Government officials had attended. There, Singh also spoke to another man whom Hypolite identified as Steve Cummings alias “Chen”.

Cummings, according to the State, is the man who shot Sumairsingh but he has since been killed. Hypolite told the court that he hardly knew Cummings. “After speaking to ‘Chen’, I spoke to Dhanraj Singh separately where I ask him what he really want done.” Hypolite then said: “He told me he wanted Hansraj dead. He laughed and I laughed. I told him he would have to give me some money. He said to come home to collect the money.”

Hypolite often smiled as he testified, looking directly at Cassel and avoiding eye contact with Singh, sitting in the dock. Karl Hudson-Phillips, QC, defending Singh, took notes as the witness continued before a packed public gallery. Hypolite was then asked about his visit to Singh’s home. He described the house at Hardbargain, Williamsville and Hypolite said Dhanraj led him into an office. Singh, Hypolite testified, told him who Sumairsingh was after which the former Local Government minister “told me he wanted us to kill Sumairsingh”. Hypolite added: “He told me I could meet Sumairsingh at the corporation.”

Hypolite then told the court that he asked Singh how much he would pay and the accused told him that “Chen” wanted $500,000. “He told me he find that too high. He went and check some money and give me $2,000,” Hypolite testified. Hypolite then went on to tell the court that before he left Singh’s home, the accused called him back and showed him three guns. “The guns was in an office bag”, Hypolite said. Singh had promised to give “Chen” the guns, he added, after he (Hypolite) had first located Sumairsingh in Rio Claro in order carry out the killing.

It was around mid-December when Hypolite tried to locate Singh but was unsuccessful. But it was after Christmas in 1999, Hypolite said, he “Chen” and another man went in pursuit of Sumairsingh. Hypolite gave an account of the night they pulled up in a red Mazda in front Sumairsingh’s Rio Claro home and how they came close to confronting the deceased. That night they did not kill Sumairsingh. Cassel then asked what next happened? Hypolite replied: “I went to the accused (Singh) office in Tunapuna the next day and he was in a bad mood and serious face. He told me ‘you boys really soft; really jokey. He slam his hands on the desk. He went on to say we miss Sumairsingh last night. He told me he going to fix it right this time.”

Hypolite then told the court that Singh told him that he was going to arrange for Sumairsingh to go to his beach house. He  said Singh described the house and its location at Eccles Road, Mayaro. Before he left, Hypolite said, Singh told him “not to miss this time”. Hypolite then described how the killing took place at the beach house. Hypolite said that it was Old Year’s Day (December 31) when he, after a telephone conversation, met “Chen” at Chaguanas.

In the car, he added, was the “unknown” man. It was around 6 pm that day when they all proceeded to Mayaro. Hypolite testified that he found the house but they noticed people and heard music at the beach house. They all proceeded to the beach area where, Hypolite said, they remained for about 45 minutes. And when they returned to the house, Hypolite said he put on a black sweater and tied his face with a handkerchief. “Chen”, the witness said, had a mask.  Hypolite said that he had a nine-millimetre semi-automatic pistol, while “Chen’s” gun was a .38 revolver.  They both entered the house and “Chen”, Hypolite said, “suddenly placed his finger at his lips “like he had seen somebody”. The witness said he suddenly heard two explosions. Hypolite said that he grabbed a cell phone from a table and asked by Cassel why he did that, the witness answered: “So that he would not call the police.” He was shown the cell phone which he positively identified.

Hypolite said that the only time he knew Sumairsingh was dead was when he read it in the newspaper the following day. Hypolite told the court that after the police interviewed him about the murder in early January, he went to look for Singh at Kent House, Maraval where the former minister had an office. “Chen” was at the office as well, he added. Hypolite then testified: “Dhanraj said let things cool down a bit. I left the country in March and returned in September.” Hypolite testified that he visited Singh’s home and asked for money. “He came out of the house to meet me. I told him I want to get the money and he told me wait at the office,” Hypolite said.

The witness said that at Singh’s office in Marabella, he was handed $5,000 by the accused who told him that his (Singh) name was being called in connection with the murder. Hypolite said he demanded $60,000 from Singh. But the witness said that he and Singh made arrangements to meet several times but the latter never turned up. Cassel completed leading evidence from Hypolite at the lunch break after which, the star witness was subjected to intense cross-examination by Hudson-Phillips. Hypolite said that the first two occasions he spoke to Singh in connection with “a job”, he hadn’t a clue what the job was about.  He admitted to Hudson-Phillips of proceeding to assassinate Sumairsingh, without knowing who the “strange man” was. Hypolite will face further cross-examination when hearing continues this morning.