The sheriff is back in town

Former Local Government minister Dhanraj Singh was freed yesterday on a murder charge of hiring two Muslimeen hitmen to kill Hansraj Sumairsingh, chairman of the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation. The “not guilty” verdict which came at about 2 pm yesterday brought loud shouts and crying in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal court where he was on trial. The packed courtroom of Dhanraj’s family and supporters cried out: “Thank God”, “We know he innocent”, “The Sheriff  back in town, Justice for the innocent.” The massive police build-up in court had a difficult job in maintaining order after the verdict and in clearing the court room. Dhanraj’s wife Leela, who was sitting in Court, burst into tears the minute the verdict was announced and Dhanraj’s knees seemed to be wobbling as the police escorted him out the docks.

Minutes later as Dhanraj emerged in the foyer of the ground floor of the Hall of Justice, he was mobbed by a crowd pushing aside some members of his family. His four-year-old son Rajiv cried out, “Daddy, daddy, daddy!” and was scooped up by Dhanraj who hugged his son and said: “We going home.” There were tears and more tears. There were shouts of praises and some singing. In the meantime, Sandra Sumairsingh wife of the deceased had run out the court room and quietly moved away from the crowd, crying. When approached by two members of the media she just shook her head and said “not now.” Dhanraj and his family were followed all the way down St Vincent Street by members of the media and supporters to the Chambers of lead attorney Karl Hudson-Phillips QC and his team of lawyers. When asked to comment, Hudson-Phillips said: “When justice is served it is not necessarily a cause for jollification. It is just that justice is served, nobody wins or loses.” Sir Timothy Cassel QC, who lead the prosecution team had no comment for the media.

It is the first case that Sir Timothy has lost in TT since he was first hired as a special prosecutor in  the Dole Chadee murder trial. This will not be his last case however. He leaves today for England and is expected to return sometime in October to prosecute in the case against former prime minister Basdeo Panday. On the other hand, it was the last criminal case for  Hudson-Phillips who was recently made a  judge of the International Criminal Court. He hinted yesterday that he may be made a permanent judge. The flambouyant Dhanraj was known for his “wining” during political meetings and functions, and was immortalised in song by calypsonian Black Stalin’s hit tune “Wine Dhanraj Wine.” He was also known as the Sheriff after an alleged gun-pulling incident at the URP Tunapuna office. He was involved in several controversies. In the three years spent in prison awaiting  trial, Dhanraj said he read a lot, learnt music and Hindi. He said he will spend time singing for his children now. During Dhanraj’s trial, even from the preliminary inquiry right up to his freedom yesterday, his faithful supporters followed him from Mayaro to Port-of-Spain. However, none of his former colleagues were there lending support.

The mixed 12-member jury of seven men and five women deliberated for about two and half hours before signalling that they had reached a verdict. There was a mad rush for seats in the court and many had to remain outside awaiting the verdict. Those who had followed the trial from early morning yesterday remained in their seats while the jury deliberated. There was total silence as the foreman of the jury was asked by the clerk of the court whether he and all the members of the jury had unanimously reached a verdict. The foreman stood up and in a somewhat soft and crackling voice said “Not Guilty.” Pandemonium broke out. Dhanraj was accused of hiring Hypolite and another Muslimeen member named Steven “Chen” Cummings to kill Sumairsingh. Sumairsingh, a father of two sons and a daughter, was shot dead at his Mayaro beach house on December 31, 1999.
Hypolite was initially charged with Sumairsingh’s murder but during the preliminary inquiry he turned State witness and gave a statement to the police claiming that Dhanraj had hired him to kill Sumairsingh. Dhanraj, in his defence, claimed that his murder charge was a conspiracy by certain police officers to force him to give information about alleged corruption in the UNC. His court days are not over as he still faces 27 charges of fraud.

Dhanraj:

I want to go home and rest

FORMER Local Government minister Dhanraj Singh yesterday told reporters that the only thing he wants to do right now is go home and rest. Singh made the statement during an interview outside the Port-of-Spain Hall of Justice after being freed of the December 1999 murder of the chairman of the Mayaro/ Rio Claro  Regional Corporation Hansraj Sumairsingh. Singh was charged with the murder after it was alleged that he hired two muslimeen hitmen to kill Sumairsingh at his (Sumairsingh’s) Mayaro beach house on December 31, 1999. During the interview an emotional Singh told reporters that the only thing he wants to do right now is “go home and rest, then take care of my family. “Take care of my wife and children and my father, who is very sick at this time.”  Asked about the fact that his political party had abandoned him in his most trying time, Singh said he did not want to comment on that right now. However, he took the time to thank all those who had supported him and his family during the trial. He thanked the legal team headed by Karl Hudson-Phillips QC for having confidence in him, the jury for standing up for what was true, his loyal supporters for always being there for him, and even the press for being “surprisingly kind to him all along.”

About his experience behind bars, Singh said the hardest part of the entire thing was having to leave his family. He said that he knows that the entire experience was stressful for his family, especially his children. He thanked their teachers for looking after them. Asked about his health, Singh said he did a lot of exercises and made sure that he took his medication on time to keep his health in check. He pointed out that the officers at the prison also made sure that he got his medication on time. When he was not exercising to keep his health in top gear, Singh spent a lot of time reading religious books and even joined the prisons music and Hindi class to pass the time. He boasted to reporters that he could now play the harmonica. Asked if he would open an orchestra, a jovial Singh explained that he was going to be singing to his children. But “the Sheriff” was not the only one smiling yesterday. his wife Leela was very happy to put this unpleasant experience behind her. speaking to Newsday following the verdict and her husbands release, Leela explained “I am very happy to have my husband back with our family where he belongs.” Leela also said that she believes that “justice has finally been served.” While Singh’s only priority right now is going home to some much needed rest and spending some quality time with his family, he noted that he just might write about his entire experience one day.