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Panday testifies against in-laws in robbery trial
By Rehanna Ramsay
Malcolm Panday was called to the stand by the prosecution yesterday to give evidence in the case of his wife’s relatives and four other persons who allegedly robbed him of $7 million. One of those relatives is Chandrada Rampersaud, Panday’s mother-in-law, who is accused of masterminding the robbery.
Panday’s mother-in-law Chandrada Rampersaud, who is accused of masterminding the robbery.
In his sworn testimony, Panday told the court that he remembered the day when he was robbed. Panday said that he was standing in the living room peering out his front yard when he noticed two strange men opening his gate.
“I kept staring at them trying to recognize if I knew them and as I was doing this they entered the yard and walked towards me.”
Panday said that as the men were walking down his driveway, one of his staff exited the front door and walked toward them. All the while he kept focused on the two persons, trying to figure out if he knew who they were. He subsequently turned to his wife who was sitting nearby and questioned why his staff had gone outside since these strange men may as well be bandits.
Panday stated that while he focused on the strangers in his yard through transparent windows his vision was never obscured by anything.
He was responding to question posed by Attorney- At- Law Glenn Hanoman who is prosecuting the case.
It was then, the witness said, that he noticed that his staff was trying to speak to the men. Panday described the men whom he saw come into his yard on the day when he was robbed. He said that one of them was a short Indian guy and the other a tall Negro fellow who was wearing a red hat. He pointed out Jermaine Mitchell as the “tall Negro man” who entered his home that day.
Panday said that he took a closer look at the men and had an odd feeling that they were indeed bandits. As he kept staring at the taller “Negro stranger” Panday said that his suspicions increased because it was very unusual for him to get an unannounced visit from a young Negro man.
“Just then I sensed trouble. I immediately said to one of my staff to close the front door, is bandits, and instantaneously ran out the back door and jumped over the fence into my neighbour’s yard.”
Panday recalled that this was his reaction after he noticed simultaneously an aggressive forward movement of the unannounced Negro visitor and the response of his staff.
The businessman burst into tears as he told the court of the horrific ordeal that his wife and two young children went through that day.
After he went into his neighbour’s yard to get help, the man said that his neighbour, who is the owner of Cops Security Service, telephoned the police and also requested armed security guards from the Service.
Panday said that an armed security officer who arrived a few minutes later accompanied him over to his residence where he found his wife, his four-year-old son and his two-year-old son Christopher looking terrified.
At this time, Panday once again became tearful in the witness box saying that he did not wish to remember the horrendous occurrence as his young son still has nightmares about the incident.
After a moment the witnessed dried his tears and continued his record of the July 2011 robbery.
The man said that he then embraced his family and inquired if the bandits got all the money in the house. His wife replied in the affirmative and he later verified that the money was indeed gone. He said that the money in US currency and local currency packaged in different envelopes amounted to at least $7 million.
Panday recalled that some smaller amounts were in little white envelopes. Those smaller amounts represented payment for his staff. The witness was shown an exhibit of the envelopes and he said that he recognized them.
Panday explained that the large sum of money was being kept at his home for the reason that he owns a chain of stores and was due to travel overseas to make purchases for his trade.
Defense Counsel Michael Somersall and Randolph Kirton both declined to cross examine the witness.
The matter which is being heard by the (AG) Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine –Beharry and being prosecuted by Attorney –At- Law Glenn Hanoman in association with Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court has been adjourned until September 26.
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