At Demerara Assizes…
THE mother and son, who are facing a three-count indictment in the acid burning case at the Demerara Assizes, claimed Thursday that they cannot lead a proper defence because of Police action.

Renee and Komal Persaud are indicted for throwing a corrosive substance with intent to murder and inflicting and causing grievous bodily harm to Navin Seepersaud on November 25, 2004.

But the two accused complained to Justice Roxanne George that the Police have destroyed the evidence which could have shown that the incident occurred on their premises and the victim was burnt with his own acid.

The duo denied being responsible for the first and second degree burns suffered by Seepersaud.

Komal Persaud, in a statement from the dock, said the victim was armed with a cutlass and a bottle containing the substance when he entered the yard in which the former lives.

The accused said the victim attacked him with the blade but it fell and Seepersaud then tried to open the bottle and, believing the latter was about to throw the liquid on him, he picked up a billiards cue that was nearby and struck the container from his hand.

The bottle broke and the contents spilled on Seepersaud, himself, the number two accused stated.

He said a policeman arrived on the scene and gathered the broken pieces of glass and the cue which he lodged at the station.

However, as none of the exhibits taken from the scene were submitted in evidence nor could be found in the Crime Books at Providence Police Station, he believes that Police destroyed their defence.

He declared that, with proper investigations, the substance would have been identified and fingerprints lifted from the broken bottle pieces.

He concluded his statement by reiterating his innocence and added that his mother never handed him anything to throw on Seepersaud, as charged by the Prosecution.

One witness for the Defence, son-in-law of Renee Persaud, Edward Veerasammy testified that, earlier on November 25, 2004, he parted a fight between the male accused, his cousin and Vishal, who had cursed the Persauds and said ill things about them.

Veerasammy said he was not present during the confrontation between Komal Persaud and Seepersaud at Second Street, Herstelling, also on East Bank Demerara, but was there at the time when the Police arrived to begin investigating.

According to the witness, he collected the broken bottle pieces and the cue and gave them to Police Corporal Elias.

Cross-examined by State Prosecutor Kara Duff-Yehudah on Friday, Veerasammy admitted that he was arrested and charged in connection with the acid throwing on Seepersaud but reported that the case was dismissed at the preliminary inquiry (PI) stage.

The witness also acknowledged inconsistencies between what he told the Police and the jury and said he had made mistakes but refuted a suggestion that his testimony in Court was a cover-up.

The case has been adjourned until next week Friday, to facilitate overseas travel by the judge, on official duties.