Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
A High Court judge has called for a man to be investigated for allegedly framing a neighbour for chopping him, after evidence emerged that he was in fact injured by the accused man’s mother during a confrontation in which he is said to have threatened her.
Justice George Busby made the request following the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) discontinuing the case against Gabriel “Fats” Hanooman after the complainant admitted in court that he had lied.
Hanooman, of Bejucal Road, Cunupia, had been accused of wounding with intent in relation to an incident in February 2012 involving Parasram Samaroo.
Samaroo had alleged that Hanooman owed him $200 for a bird cage and that, after consuming alcohol with his brother, he went to Hanooman’s home to collect the money. He claimed that Hanooman, then 19, emerged with a cutlass and chopped him to the head, causing him to collapse from blood loss before regaining consciousness in hospital.
However, during trial proceedings before Justice Busby and a nine-member jury, Hanooman’s attorneys, Alexia Romero and Andiesa Weste, challenged the prosecution’s case, arguing that Samaroo had fabricated the allegations.
They pointed to a station diary extract disclosed during the trial, which indicated that Hanooman’s mother had also been arrested but was never charged. The entry stated that she alleged Hanooman was not at home when Samaroo arrived to demand the money, and that Samaroo instead threatened her. She further admitted striking him in the face with a piece of wood.
Defence counsel also questioned why Samaroo’s brother—who was said to have been present during the incident—was not called as a witness.
Under cross-examination by Romero over two days, Samaroo initially maintained his account but later admitted he had fabricated the allegations after being confronted with inconsistencies in his statements.
Following the DPP’s decision to discontinue the case, Justice Busby—himself a former Deputy DPP—recommended that Samaroo be investigated for potential offences including perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The judge noted that the false allegations, if accepted, could have exposed Hanooman to a sentence of up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The DPP’s Office was represented by Keston Abraham and Kern Young.
