Detective Sergeant Kamal Pitama, who police allege was offered a $4 million bribe by Sharmila Inderjali and Maryanne Lionel in order to release the accused in the murder of Number 70 Village carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt, on Thursday changed his story after denying that there was a video recording of his encounter with the accused.
Pitama, while being crossed-examined by defence attorney Sanjeev Datadin, was asked if there was a recording of the transaction between himself and the women and he told the court no.
Datadin, who was not satisfied with the answer, asked the witness again, telling him that he was under oath and it was a criminal offence to lie, if he was certain that there was not a recording.
Pitama then changed his answer and said that there was a recording which he did but it was on his personal cell phone. In Pitama’s evidence in chief, he never stated that he had recorded the transaction. Pitama told the court that he could identify the recording if it was brought to him in court.
After Pitama’s testimony, Magistrate Leron Daly adjourned the matter until February 13.
The charge against the two women states that they corruptly offered $4 million to an officer on November 19, 2016, at Eve Leary, to forego charges against the suspects in custody for the murder, as well as Marcus Bisram, Inderjali’s son, who is overseas and is wanted by local authorities in relation to the murder.
Bisram, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, Niran Yacoob and Orlando Dickie are charged with the murder of Narinedatt. Bisram, police have alleged, procured and commanded the men to murder Narinedatt between October 31 and November 1, 2016, at Number 70 Village, Berbice.
