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Meten-Meer-Zorg grocer murder … Eight accused remain hopeful for PI commencement
… Magistrate expected to be permanently appointed at Leonora Magistrate’s Court
Almost ten months after being accused and incarcerated for the murder of a Meten-Meer-Zorg grocer, the eight persons charged are now hopeful that the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) will commence within two weeks at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.
The installation of a permanent Magistrate at the curt has been signaled by a senior member of the judiciary.
Last September, eight persons, including a mother of one, were indicted before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for the murder of the businessman, Zulficar Namdar. 
The 25-year-old entrepreneur was reportedly shot and killed after heavily-armed, masked gunmen invaded the family’s Lot 76 Third Street Meten-Meer-Zorg home on September 10, last.
Namdar was murdered whilst his mother was robbed of $1.3M worth in jewellery and $320,000 cash.
Ten days after the incident, Jermaine “Yankee” Williams, 36; Esan Lawrence, 33; Delwyn Croft,32; Khyran “50 cents” Khan, 26; Samuel Bacchus, 38; Andrew “Sonic” Chandler, 34; Alan Dorsett, 38; and his 31-year-old wife Cassindra Singh were brought before the courts to be arraigned on a murder charge.
To date, the accused are yet to hear the State’s case against them because the absence of a permanent Magistrate at the Leonora court has continuously stalled the commencement of the PI.
Since their first court appearance on September 20, last year the eight have been remanded to prison and they have so far made about 10 fruitless court appearances.
It is behind that backdrop that Defence Attorneys Melvin Duke, George Thomas, James Bond and Nigel Hughes sought the High Court’s intervention for what was described as a breach of their clients’ constitutional rights.
Earlier this year, the Attorneys filed a writ of mandamus against Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry seeking to have the matter commence and dealt with expeditiously.
Duke, in a previous interview, had indicated that the lack of a permanent Magistrate is no reason to delay a PI.
The lawyer had said that it is a breach of his clients’ rights since the constitution specifies that a fair trial must be conducted within a reasonable amount of time. He said that his clients have instead been languishing for almost a year as remanded prisoners.
Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, the attorney stated that the eight accused remain hopeful that the PI will commence at their next scheduled court hearing.
He said that the lawyers have been reliably informed by an official in the judicial system that the Preliminary Inquiry will get underway soon.
Duke said that it was explained to him that another Magistrate is set to be permanently appointed to take up the mantle at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.
The resignation of Magistrate Adele Nagamootoo a few months ago left the Leonora Magistrate’s Court without a permanent Magistrate. Since then, Magistrate Clive Nurse and Faith McGusty have been fulfilling magisterial duties at the court.
Duke said that it is with regards to the signaled intentions to have a Magistrate installed at that court that the accused are now hopeful for the matter to be heard and dealt with in an expeditious manner.
The case will be called again on July 23.
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