C’tyne canecutter to face trial for 2009 wife killing

Jun 14, 2018 News

A man who is accused of murdering his wife back in 2009 and was subsequently granted bail by the High Court due to the length of time he was incarcerated, has been committed to stand trial before a judge and jury.
The man Azam Khan, 50, a former cane cutter of No 72 village Corentyne Berbice is accused of chopping his wife, Heerawattie Tekram, to death on November 6, 2009 at their No 72 village home.
The allegation is that on the day in question, Khan left to go to work but returned, and following an altercation with his wife he chopped her to death. He then returned to work. On November 5, 2009, about 05:45 hours, the woman Heerawattie Tekram, a mother of two, then aged 43 years, was found lying in her yard, bleeding profusely from incised marks about her throat, face, neck, back and head. Her husband was later arrested and charged with murder. The woman’s body was found by her two children.
After Khan was charged he appeared before Magistrate Krisendat Persaud in the Springlands Magistrate’s Court and was committed to stand trial in the Berbice High Court in June 2011. The deposition was then sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in May 2012.
In August that year, the DPP sent a letter to Magistrate Persaud to reopen the PI. However by then Magistrate Persaud was off the bench.
The DPP then sent a letter dated 28th January 2015 to the Registrar of the Supreme Court to discontinue the Committal. The man’s attorney Murselene Bacchus challenged the decision made by the DPP to withdraw the committal contending that she does not have the power to do so.
In October 2015 the matter was heard before former Chief Justice Ian Chang. However Khan remained incarcerated in the prison. The former Chief Justice had agreed with the lawyer and quashed the decision.
The DPP subsequently made a Nolle Prosqui in April 2016 and advised that a new charge be laid against the accused.
Attorney at Law Bacchus then made an application in the High Court on 18th May 2016 through a Constitutional Motion for bail under article 139.3 of the Constitution which states that “if a person is not tried within a reasonable time he shall be placed on bail.”
The matter was heard before Justice Franklyn Holder in the Berbice High Court on 28th July. After listening to the arguments the Judge concluded that Khan’s constitutional right to be tried within a reasonable time was contravened.
Justice Holder then ordered that Khan be granted bail in the sum of $500,000 and that that a new PI be held, which should begin within 14 days of the order and should be concluded within 120 days.
The judge also ordered that Khan lodge his passport if he is in possession of one. He should report to the Springlands Police Station at 15:00 hrs every Monday until the conclusion of the trial. He must also be in court every day of the PI. If Khan failed to adhere to any of the orders given, he will be arrested and detained until the completion of the trial.
The New PI was heard before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh in the Springlands Magistrate Court where it was concluded that a prime facie case was made out.

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C’tyne canecutter to face trial for 2009 wife killing

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The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

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