Man motivated by prayers to tell the truth

Bachan, aka "Tazmool," told Justice Devan Rampersad and a 12-member jury that during his trial, about three days ago, he was praying and something told him, "to talk the truth — the truth will set me free." He said he was also inspired to talk the truth because the "natural killer is still out there and could be killing more people." He also said he could end up being convicted and they could "break his neck" for a murder he did not commit while the real killer is free. He said the real killer is Joshua Ramnath. Ramnath, of El Socorro, San Juan, was 15 at the time of the murder. He was granted immunity by the DPP. He testified earlier in the trial that it was Bachan who slashed Sampson’s throat and then pushed his hand in Sampson’s throat.

Bachan, now 24, of Gopie Hill Trace, Union Village, Mayaro, is accused of murdering Sampson on February 21, 2001, after Bachan, Ramnath and a man called Daniel Goolcharan hijacked Sampson’s taxi along the Uriah Butler Highway. Sampson, 43, of Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, was plying the taxi from Curepe to Chaguanas when the trio boarded the vehicle at Curepe and one man placed a knife to his throat on the highway. In response to his attorney, Larry Williams, assisted by Celeste Jules, Bachan said he did not tell the truth before because Joshua’s brother Aaron had warned him not to tell anybody about the killing. Bachan said Aaron threatened to make him (Bachan) pay if he spoke out and Joshua got into trouble.

Under cross-examination by Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo, assisted by Shoba Jamunar, Bachan claimed that although Aaron and Goolcharan were not his friends, he still accompanied them in a stolen car from Mayaro to El Socorro to try to sell the car. According to Bachan, they had a car and he decided to go with them for the ride.

When hearing continues today, Waterman-Latchoo will proceed with her cross-examination.