Murder accused admits to lying

MURDER ACCUSED Kenrick London admitted yesterday he lied on several occasions during his testimony. London admitted to inconsistencies in his testimony as he was cross-examined by State Prosecutor Jerron Joseph.

London and his wife Chandroutie are on trial in the San Fernando High Court for the murder of their daughter Vidya. The case is being heard before Justice Ivor Archie in the Third Criminal Assizes. London, who took the witness stand on Tuesday, testified that Vidya was sick for almost two months before she was taken to hospital. Asked about the nature of the sickness, London explained that the child suffered from swelling to her face and belly, and was “going off very hard”. London said he tried taking care of his daughter by rubbing oil on her body. He testified that he and his wife awoke one morning to find their daughter dead, almost three weeks after Vidya returned from the hospital.

However, when the state attorney recalled from London’s previous testimony that the child was sick for almost seven months, and not two, before she was taken to hospital, the accused agreed with the presecutor’s information. Joseph also put to London that he previously testified that Vidya died around 4 pm, and he and Chandroutie threw the child into a latrine two hours later, not that the couple awoke to find their child dead.“Which is true?” State attorney asked. “What you are reading is true,” London, a self-confessed preacher said.

Joseph later asked: “So you lied under oath. The same Bible that you preached from, you are lying on now?” London answered: “Whatever you say is true.” During the lengthy cross examination, London also admitted it was not true when he said a police officer beat him on his knee with a piece of wood to force him to sign a confession statement. He maintained, however, that police slapped and kicked him about his body and hit him with a gun butt on his head. Meanwhile Chandroutie will decide today if she will enter the witness box and testify in her own defence. Chandroutie told Justice Ivor Archie yesterday she will not take the stand, opting to remain silent in the case. But moments after giving her decision, her attorney, Learie Alleyne Forte rushed over to speak to her. Justice Archie then took a short break and when court resumed, Alleyne Forte asked that the election to testify not be put to Chandroutie. Chandroutie’s lawyer said she was of such a frame of mind that she hadn’t decided if she wanted to give evidence and would like to think over the decision.