Abducted four-year-old... No new charges instituted against accused

Abducted four-year-old… No new charges instituted against accused

Sep 29, 2009 News

The advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) was regarded as crucial yesterday when 28-year-old Sherwin Lewis appeared before Magistrate Fazil Azeez at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court.

Sherwin Lewis

Lewis is accused of unlawfully detaining four-year-old, Varsha Singh, between Sunday August 9 and Monday August 10 with the intent of depriving her parents, Parbattie Motieram and Surujpaul Singh, of possession of their child.

Yesterday saw Lewis’ third appearance before the Magistrate; however, no additional charges have been brought against him.

And this state of affairs Police Prosecutor, Sherwin Matthews, attributed to the fact that “we are still getting some problems with the virtual complainant (four-year-old) because of her age. She doesn’t want to speak much but we are working on it,” Lewis assured.

This disclosure prompted Magistrate Azeez to query from Matthews whether the advice of the DPP was acquired, to which Matthews responded in the negative.

In emphasising the urgency of the DPP’s advice, the Magistrate underscored that other evidence surrounding the case could also be used aside from the child. “The child is just four years old, she was taken from her parents, they would have made a report to the police. The child was even rescued by neighbours who saw him (Lewis) with the child…In other words all of that constitutes evidence,” the Magistrate asserted.

Before remanding the accused, Magistrate Azeez sought to find out from him if he knew the four-year-old. And it was in a timid tone that Lewis related he didn’t.

He is slated to make another appearance on October 16 at the same court.

This newspaper has since learnt that through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security the child has been receiving therapeutic assistance.