Court orders Brickdam police logs, as officer’s memory falters on stand’

September 4 2026

Proceedings in the extradition matter of Leader of the Opposition Azruddin and his father Nazar Mohamed took a turn on Friday when Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman ordered state witness Prem Narine to bring official station diary records from the Brickdam Police Station when trial resumes on Monday.

The directive came after defense counsel subjected Narine to cross-examination, where in the witness’s recall regarding key timeline details, visits to the Attorney General’s Chambers, and the handling of investigative logbooks.

On the witness stand, Narine acknowledged visiting the AG Chambers alongside Assistant Superintendent Sarabo, then second-in-command of crime for West Demerara. However, under direct probing about who authorized the visit, whether instructions were issued verbally or in writing, and whether official visitor logs were signed, Narine repeatedly answered, “I can’t recall.”

Narine maintained he visited the Chambers around 9:30 hrs, citing a reference entry in his diary, but conceded under pressure that the visit could have occurred earlier or later, though not before 9:00 hrs. When pressed to produce the personal notebook, pocketbook, or diary containing that time reference, Narine admitted he could not pinpoint its location, noting that intelligence officers are not required to keep personal records after an operation concludes and that such notes may have been destroyed.

Prosecution counsel objected to defense attempts to compel disclosure of these personal notes, arguing that the witness was operating within his capacity as an intelligence officer and that the state had no intention of tendering them. Defense counsel countered that any document used to refresh a witness’s memory must be made available to the court.

The focal point shifted when Narine confirmed under oath that an official, permanent operational record summarizing the events at the AG Chambers does exist within a station diary and remains intact. When pressed on where that record resides, Narine clarified it was recorded at the Diamond Police Station, confirming no such operational entries were made in the Brickdam Police Station diary regarding the arrests. He also acknowledged that he made no entries in the West Demerara crime diary, despite Sarabo’s division assignment.

Defense counsel immediately applied for the production of the official station diary, leading Chief Magistrate Latchman to order Narine to produce the Diamond Police Station operational records when he returns to the stand on Monday, September 7.