Marcus Bisram appears at New Amsterdam Magistrate voluntarily

Jun 05, 2021 News

(From left): Attorney-at-Law Arudnauth Gossai, Marcus Bisram and Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin

Kaieteur News – Former murder accused, Marcus Bisram, yesterday made an appearance before Magistrate, Renita Singh, at the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court in the company of his lawyers, Sanjeev Datadin and Arudnauth Gossai. The appearance was done voluntarily, Kaieteur News understands.

Datadin indicated to this publication that upon his client’s appearance, the Magistrate pointed out that she does not have jurisdiction in the matter to hold Bisram. He said, “We told her that we know of no orders and that we just wanted to be safe and we have given our details to her and anybody that contacts us, he will surrender.”

On May 31, 2021, the Court of Appeal had quashed a cross-appeal by Bisram and a ruling was handed down in favour of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack. This decision makes way for Bisram to once again face new charges regarding the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt, the carpenter whose battered body was found motionless on the No.71 public road on November 1, 2016.

Bisram, who was extradited from the United States to face charges for the 2016 crime, has faced a preliminary trial in the Magistrates’ Court. Magistrate Renita Singh, after a preliminary inquiry had ruled that there was insufficient evidence to send him to the High Court for trial.

The DPP had, however, invoked her powers under Section 72 (1) and (2) (ii) (b) of the Criminal Law Offences Act, and directed the Magistrate to reopen the inquiry with a view of committing Bisram to the High Court for trial. Bisram had then challenged the DPP’s right to instruct the Magistrate in the High Court. In a subsequent decision, High Court Justice, Simone Morris-Ramlall, quashed the DPP’s orders.

Justice Morris-Ramlall also ordered that the DPP should be prohibited from instituting the charges against Bisram again. It is this order that the DPP challenged in the Appeal Court. Bisram through his attorney Arudnauth Gossai, cross-appealed challenging the DPP’s right to order the Magistrate.

Bisram’s relatives were also present during his appearance yesterday at the New Amsterdam Magistrates Court.

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