HGP Nightly News – The credibility of the prosecution’s main witness came under sharp scrutiny on Wednesday as cross-examination continued in the Berbice High Court trial into the killings of cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry.
Defence attorney Dexter Todd spent much of the hearing challenging the account given by Akash Singh, who has testified against murder accused Anil Sanchara, 39, called “Magga,” of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, and Vinood Gopaul, 35, called “Dan Pole” and “Rasta,” of Yakasari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne.
Both accused have pleaded not guilty.
Singh, who remains in custody in relation to the matter, has been presented by the prosecution as a key witness. His testimony places him with the accused in the Cotton Tree Backdam, where he said they had gone to plant marijuana before the Henry cousins were killed.
On Wednesday, Todd directly challenged that version of events. He suggested that Singh’s account was false and that he had never gone into the backdam with Sanchara and Gopaul to plant marijuana.
Singh rejected that suggestion and maintained that he was present.
The exchange marked a noticeable shift from Tuesday’s proceedings, when Singh repeatedly said he could not recall several details. When questioning resumed on Wednesday, he gave more direct answers and pushed back against several of the defence’s claims.
Todd suggested that Singh’s evidence had been shaped by promises or pressure from the police. He put it to the witness that the marijuana-planting story was created because Singh had been promised something in return for his testimony.
Singh denied receiving any promise or offer, telling the court that his evidence was based on what he knew to be true. He maintained that he had gone to Cotton Tree Backdam with Gopaul and Sanchara to plant marijuana.
The defence also questioned Singh about what happened after his arrest in January 2021. Todd suggested that Singh had been beaten by police while in custody.
Singh denied being assaulted by police.
When the defence suggested that he had been heard screaming while in custody, Singh also rejected that claim, saying there was no reason for him to scream because he had not been harmed.
However, Singh confirmed that he had previously given a statement in which he claimed he was beaten at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Georgetown. He told the court that he only made that statement because he was allegedly threatened by Gopaul and Sanchara and pressured to support claims that they too had been assaulted by police.
Singh also repeated that he was an unwilling participant in the events and claimed he had been threatened with death by the two accused. He said fear prevented him from reporting certain matters to police, prison officers, or during his appearance at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court in 2021.
Todd also questioned Singh about where he had been brought from before attending court on Wednesday. Singh responded that he had come from custody, but did not identify the specific facility.
The defence suggested that Singh was not appearing in court in the usual manner as an inmate, but was instead being kept by police under arrangements that were not made clear in court.
During re-examination, the prosecution asked Singh about his location. Singh said he could not disclose where he was being kept because Gopaul had allegedly found ways to contact and threaten him.
The evidence was heard before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall as the State continues to build its case in one of the country’s most closely followed murder trials.
The prosecution has indicated that it intends to call 44 witnesses in the trial. Singh’s testimony remains one of the most significant parts of the case so far, as the defence continues its effort to test his reliability and weaken the weight of his evidence.
