Bisram to have shortened PI as magistrate opts for ‘hybrid’ case

Feb 11, 2020 News

By Malisa Playter-Harry

“This court will never slaughter justice”, were the words of Magistrate Renita Singh yesterday as she made her ruling on the way forward in the Marcus Bisram case.

Marcus Bisram at court yesterday

Her statements came midway in the brief proceedings which commenced at the Whim Magistrate’s Court at 13:10 hrs.
Magistrate Singh, before she made her ruling, noted the submissions made by the defence, that recused Magistrate Alex Moore had ruled that the case shall proceed by way of a paper committal, a shorter version of a PI.
However, Singh told the court that while the ruling was made, it was never recorded on the case docket. It was based on such that she declared the ruling null, and pointed out that a new trial has commenced.
She said that while there were differing arguments from both the defence and state on whether the matter should take the course of a Paper Committal or Preliminary Inquiry, she has considered their arguments and has opted to proceed via a “third avenue”.
In that, statements will be tendered, the main witness will be allowed to be called by the prosecution, the defence will cross examine the said witness as requested along with another, and a visit to the locus (scene of the crime) will take place.
In that regard, Magistrate Singh justified that the court will not be the medium to, “slaughter justice” in the interest of expediency.
Prosecutrix Stacy Goodings along with the defence team led by Attorney Sanjeev Datadin and Dexter Todd appeared satisfied with the Magistrate’s ruling and a date was given for the continuation of the case. The matter is set to continue on Thursday.
Marcus Brian Bisram returned to Guyana through a historic extradition process late last year. He was charged with coercing, procuring and demanding five persons to murder Faiyaz Narinedatt.
Narinedatt was reportedly beaten and his body dumped on the public road in Berbice.
A number of other persons have been charged.

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