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Prosecution to reply to no-case submission in ‘fake kidnapping’ trial
Senior Counsel Bernard DeSantos who is representing Sawak Maraj, the Trinidadian national who allegedly faked his own kidnapping, yesterday made a no-case submission when the matter continued.
Maraj is currently on trial before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.It is alleged that Maraj on October 27, last, at Georgetown, knowingly gave false information to the police, stating that he was kidnapped and that his abductors demanded US$700,000 for his
Sawak Maraj
release.
It was further alleged that on the same day at Madewini Resort, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, Maraj conspired with other persons to negotiate to obtain a ransom of US$700,000.
The 33-year-old Chemical Engineer pleaded not guilty to both charges on his first court appearance and is currently out on $1M bail pending the outcome and determination of the trial.
Yesterday when the matter was called, the lawyer told the court that the Prosecution failed to prove that his client gave false information to the police and should not be called upon to lead a defence in the matter.
The lawyer added that there is no evidence that his client planned his own kidnapping and for that reason the matter should be dismissed.
The matter has been adjourned to November 30, when Police Prosecutor Dominic Bess is expected to respond.
Magistrate Azore will make a ruling on whether there is enough evidence to rule on a prima facie case.
According to information, Maraj arrived in Guyana on October 28, 2017, via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri. He allegedly left the airport in a taxi and was heading to a hotel on the East Bank of Demerara when he disappeared. He reportedly came to Guyana to attend a job interview with ExxonMobil.
It was a Guyanese who went to the hotel and made reservations for Maraj.
Shortly after the engineer left the airport, a photograph of him with someone holding a cutlass to his neck, was sent to his parents and other relatives in Trinidad and Tobago.
It is alleged that the ‘kidnappers’ threatened to kill their victim if the demanded ransom was not paid. The engineer’s family immediately made contact with the Guyana Police Force.
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