The trial of the four men accused of murdering 72-year-old Clementine Fiedtkou-Parris began yesterday in the High Court in Georgetown, where Justice Navindra Singh fined one of their attorneys for being almost an hour and a half late for court. The joint charge against Orwin Hinds, Kevin October, Cleon Hinds and Roy Jacobs states that on June 30, 2011, they murdered Fiedtkou-Parris pursuant to an arrangement whereby money was intended to pass from one person to another.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In her opening address to Justice Singh and the 12-member jury hearing the trial, State Counsel Teshanna James-Lake said on the night of June 30, 2011 Fiedtkou-Parris was shot at her 42 Robb Street, Georgetown home. The woman was taken to the Georgetown hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after.
According to James-Lake, police investigations later led to Orwin, October, Cleon and Jacobs being arrested and charged.
Detective Corporal Chaitram Suesankar was the first of the state’s 28 witnesses to take the stand yesterday.
The state’s case is being led by James-Lake in association with prosecutor Narissa Leander, while Orwin Hinds, October, Cleon Hinds and Jacobs are represented by attorneys-at-law George Thomas, Moti Singh, Raymon Ali and Maxwell McKay, respectively.
Attorney Singh was yesterday cited for contempt of court and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 for his lateness, which saw the commencement of the morning’s proceedings being stalled.
The judge enquired from Singh his reason for not being at court for 9. An apologetic Singh, who arrived at 10.20, explained that the traffic on the East Coast Demerara hindered him from being at court early.
In his reprimand, Justice Singh, however, firmly noted to the attorney that he needed to be at court for 9. The judge then imposed the fine, which the attorney has seven days to pay or he will be imprisoned for two days.
