Attorney Brandon De Santos last Friday made closing arguments on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago national Sawak Maraj, who is charged with faking his own kidnapping and conspiring with others to secure a ransom.
De Santos argued that the prosecution has failed to prove its case, before adding that the entire case is based on circumstantial evidence.
Police prosecutor Dominic Bess is expected to respond to those submissions in writing.
The matter is expected to be called again on May 17th.
Maraj has given an unsworn statement to trial magistrate Fabayo Azore in which he has proclaimed his innocence of the two charges he currently faces
It is alleged that on October 27th, 2017, at Georgetown, Maraj knowingly gave false information to the police that he had been kidnapped and that his abductor requested US$700,000. It is also alleged that on the same date, at the Madewini Resort, he conspired with other persons to commit a felony by knowingly assisting in a negotiation to obtain the ransom of US$700,000.
