Prosecution granted adjournment in Sharma witness tampering PI

The preliminary inquiries (PIs) into the witness tampering matters against Chandra Narine Sharma and the jointly-charged Doodnauth Sharma and Raywattie Ramsawack did not commence on Wednesday as scheduled.

Magistrate Geeta Chandan Edmond, who is presiding over the matters, granted an adjournment to March 30, after a request was made by the prosecution.

However, the PI into a similar charge against Tyrone Ali, which was also scheduled to start on Wednesday, got underway.

Police Corporal Shiv Sankar, who is attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, was the witness who took the stand and testified in the matter. The inquiry was later adjourned also to March 30.

The progress of these matters had been hindered for a variety of reasons on the four previous court dates.

On Friday last, however, defence counsel Mark Waldron and Vic Puran along with State-appointed prosecutor Sanjeev Datadin informed the court that they were ready to proceed with the matters.

The charges of attempting to obstruct the course of justice against the defendants stem from the alleged carnal knowledge of two females, for which CN Sharma has been charged.

Sharma was also charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice. It is alleged that on April 15, he knowingly attempted to obstruct the course of justice by removing two of the girls at the centre of sex abuse allegations against him from their known address and taking them to a house at 123 Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara in order to prevent them from being questioned by police.