American citizen, colleague faces jury sworn on Murder charge

Berbice: Hemwattie Abdulla, called “Annie” and “Anesa”; and Seerujnie Permaul, called “Surojnie” and “Usha” who are charged with murder in 2012 are on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a mixed jury.

The two women, one of them a United States citizen are accused of between April 23 and April 27, 2012 in the county of Berbice murdered, Abdul Shakeel Majid called “Shakiel”.

Seerujnie Permaul, called “Surojnie” and “Usha”, allegedly paid money to Pooran Jhadoo  at the request of Hemwattie Abdulla called “Annie” and “Anesa” to commit the murder.

The women are being represented by attorneys-at-law Murseline Bacchus and Nigel Hughes.

Attorney-at-law Ganesh Hira who was a special prosecutor during the preliminary Inquiry will be prosecuting the matter on behalf of the state.

After the indictment was read, attorney-at-law Bacchus asked that the matter be held over for continuation on Wednesday since the other attorney Nigel Hughes will be available then.

It was earlier reported in the lower court that Abdulla, formerly of Albion, Corentyne, and of Ozone Park, Queens, New York, USA and Tirmaul of Belvedere New Housing Scheme, Corentyne, Berbice are accused of murdering Majid, a citizen of the USA whose body was found with its scalp missing.

They were committed at the end of a preliminary Inquiry conducted by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate court.