Saada’s teacher and three others charged

KIMBERLY Moonsammy, 22, a teacher at Giselle’s Montessori kindergarten in Vistabella, and three others yesterday walked through a large jeering crowd and into the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court to stand before a magistrate charged with the kidnapping of Moonsammy’s student, Saada Singh, aged three. Also charged were: Moonsammy’s cousin, Jonathan Moonsammy, 21, Coleen “Michelle” Osbourne, 22, a mother of two, and Keston Franklyn, 25. The four were granted bail with conditions. Attending the court hearing yesterday were Saada’s father Sean and grandfather Mike, who watched in silence as the accused persons were led from San Fernando Police Station to the courthouse. “Jail them... jail them,” one onlooker shouted as the accused persons were led by police through the thick crowd that gathered outside the courthouse, and along the streets.

The loudest jeers were for the two female accused. The four appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington who read the charge that on Thursday June 3, at Archibald Street in Vistabella, they unlawfully took and carried away Saada Singh. The four bent their heads while the Magistrate read out the charge. As the case was being heard inside the First Court, court security had the task of keeping a pressing crowd away from the doors of the courtroom. Members of the media were accommodated at a small table at the side of the court, while the accused stood silently before the magistrate. Kimberly Moonsammy and Coleen Osbourne were represented by attorney Dexter Bailey, who told the court his clients had no prior criminal record and Osbourne was a mother of two children ages four and six. Bailey said kidnapping was a bailable offence and he was certain the court would not be swayed by the great deal of attention received by the public and media. Bailey said the presumption of “innocence until proven guilty” still stood and expressed surprise by the number of police officers who escorted the accused to court.

He described the scene yesterday as a feeding frenzy for the media which could sway the public in a certain direction as though they (the accused) were already tried and proven guilty. Bailey made an application for the prosecution to present them with disclosure. Attorney Rupert Frank, who represented Jonathan Moonsammy, said his client had one previous conviction two years ago for wounding with intent. Frank submitted his client had been in custody since Friday night and that was sufficient time to have him “traced.” In his application for bail for Keston Franklyn, attorney Keith Beckles said last Friday night his client went to San Fernando CID and surrendered after hearing he was being sought by police. Beckles said Franklyn who lives at Main Road in Vessigny, was employed as a fabricator with Damus Ltd, and had no previous convictions or pending matters in any court. But assistant DPP Roger Gaspard, who represented the State yesterday, objected to bail on the grounds that the prosecution had information the accused persons were likely to interfere with witnesses if granted bail.

Gaspard’s suggestion provoked a loud response from Beckles who stood up and described the prosecutor’s submission as a “ludicrous allegation.” Magistrate Wellington urged Beckles to calm down. Beckles questioned whether any report was made in any station diary about any interference (by his client). He also claimed his client was kept in suspended isolation in a cell. Jonathan Moonsammy’s attorney Rupert Frank said he did not think his client even knew who the witnesses were. In response, Gaspard recommended to the magistrate that if bail were to be considered by the court, it should be done so under Section 12 (1) of the Bail Act, in which accused persons were required to surrender their passports and report to a police station on specific days. Wellington agreed with Gaspard’s submission and granted the four accused persons bail under the condition that they report to a specific police station four times a week and also surrender their passports. He then granted the accused persons $100,000 bail each, to be approved by the Clerk of the Peace. The matter was adjourned to June 18.

While the two female accused were being led out of the courthouse, both in handcuffs, their mothers both screamed and collapsed in tears. Marsha Patterson, mother of Coleen “Michelle” Osbourne and Judy Moonsammy, mother of Saada’s teacher Kimberly Moonsammy, both had to be assisted by persons when they collapsed outside the court. A weeping Patterson said if her daughter told the truth, the truth shall set her free. She said the incident had nothing to do with politics and vowed to “stand by my child.” Saada’s grandfather, Mike Singh, told reporters he hoped the matter would end as soon as possible, “possibly in six weeks time,” so it could be heard and dealt with in the San Fernando Criminal High Courts.