This is not Perry Mason

DEFENDING the innocence of murder accused Prof Vijay Narayansingh and wife Seeromanie Maharaj-Narayansingh, attorney Prakash Ramadhar told Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington he had a duty to reveal the real killer of Dr Chandra Narayansingh. During hearing of the preliminary inquiry in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Ramadhar declared his intention to uncover “any grand conspiracy here” against his clients in their arrests and prosecution. Ramadhar declared in court, “My function is to ascertain whether there is any grand conspiracy here and if there is a protection of persons. We know that Dr Chandra Narayansingh was murdered. It was a paid hit — an execution.

If they didn’t do it, someone else did it. It is my duty as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and a lawyer, to defend my clients to show who really did it.” Ramadhar was stopped in his tracks by the magistrate who advised the attorney that in defending his clients his function was not to point out to the court who committed the murder. Dr Chandra Narayansingh, former wife of Prof Naraynsingh, was gunned down on June 29, 1994 at the Langmore Health Foundation where she worked.

“It is not the function of the defence,” Wellington told Ramadhar, “to solve murders.” The magistrate added, “The only person to do that was Perry Mason on television. I appreciate your function, but it is not to find the killer. You have to defend your client to the best of your ability,” the magistrate said. Queen’s Counsel Karl Hudson Phillips and attorney Ravi Rajcoomar are defending Prof Naraynsingh. Ramadhar is leading the defence team for Seeromanie, with Sophia Chote, Chateram Sinnanan and Brian Dabideen. Larry Lalla and Vishwanath Rambarran are defending San Fernando businessman Elton Ramasir, who is jointly charged with the accused couple.