Khan to prosecute in medical students murder

Khan appeared for the State yesterday when the matter was called before senior Magistrate Indra Ramoo-Haynes in the Tunapuna First Magistrates’ Court. He was appointed by Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson to prosecute murder accused Keith Brian Thomas, 18, of Spring Village, Mt D’or Road, Champ Fleurs, and Christopher James, 22, of Maloney Gardens. The two are charged with the murder of Rattan between December 26 and 27, 2005, at Caura Royal Road, Caura. Khan will be assisted by prosecutor Renuka Rambhajan.

Attorney Theodore Guerra SC appeared for Thomas, while James is unrepresented.

Guerra made an application in court for disclosure by the State. Khan informed the court that he had only received the file late Tuesday evening and that he will have to make meticulous study of it to see what is disclose-able. He also added, "Mr Guerra would appreciate that disclosure is an ongoing process, and I as prosecutor in the matter will give him an undertaking that whatever is disclose-able will be disclosed to him."

On December 26 at about 9 pm, Rattan, 18, of Santa Margarita, St Augustine, had left the Royal Castle fast food outlet at Curepe Junction and was about to enter his Toyota RAV 4 vehicle, when he was accosted, and taken away in his vehicle by several persons. His body was later found in a drain at Caura. Rattan, a second-year medical student at St George’s University, Grenada, was home on vacation when he was killed. He was the son of Dr Dipchand Rattan. The matter was adjourned to February 1, 2006.