By SUSAN MOHAMMED

"MAKE SURE that the lady is dead." This is what Shawn Parris yesterday told a judge and jury that Seeromani Maraj-Naraynsingh told him when the contract to kill Dr Chandra Naraynsingh was negotiated.

Parris, the confessed hired hitman who shot Naraynsingh dead on June 29, 1994, testified in the San Fernando High Court yesterday that on the days leading up to the killing, he discussed the matter with Maraj-Naraynsingh and Ramasir.

Parris took the witness stand before Justice Herbert Volney and a 12-member jury yesterday as the State's 17th witness in the Naraynsingh murder trial . The second wife of Prof Naraynsingh, Chandra was murdered at the Langmore Health Foundation.

On trial are the professor's third wife — Seeromani Maraj-Naraynsingh, and businessman Ramasir.

Led by Special Prosecutor Dana Seetahal, Parris first began his testimony by saying that on June 23, 1994, he was released from prison after serving four months of an 18-month jail sentence, for possession of a firearm.

On his release, Parris said he was met at the prison gates by Ken Morris and Errol "Rev" Pierre. Parris said he entered a car which accused Ramasir was driving, but during the drive Morris told him there was a job for him. Morris told him, Parris testified, that "a lady needed to be taken care of."

Parris told the jury, "I asked him ‘what he meant; if she were to be shot on her hand or foot.' Ramasir, the State witness said, replied: "This was no shooting on hand or foot thing. This woman is to be killed."

Parris testified that the next day, he and Ken Morris were at Ramasir's Auto Supplies when Ken Morris introduced him to accused Maraj-Naraynsingh. Morris then told her (Maraj-Naraynsingh), Parris said, "This is the man who will be handling everything."

Parris told the judge and jury that Maraj-Naraynsingh replied that she hoped so, because "this has to happen when the man out of the country."

Parris testified that Maraj-Naraynsingh told accused Ramasir — "This is the only way that woman have to dead. And the only way I will get the rest of money."

Parris said that when Maraj-Naraynsingh left, Ramasir asked me if he (Parris) was sure he could handle the job. Parris said he replied: "Yes."

Parris told the court: "He spoke to Rev and said ‘Boy, imagine this woman eh easy boy. This woman horning she husband with he best friend, Dr Bissoondath'. I asked ‘Who is this lady,' that is the woman that they wanted dead. I asked what this love triangle was about. Ramasir said that is his doctor friend wife, and that is his girl who gone there."

Parris testified that Ramasir gave him a .38 revolver the next day in a brown paper bag.

Parris said he asked Morris if he (Parris) knew the woman and he replied: "‘No, you don't know this lady. This is a love triangle between a woman and she husband and another lady."'

Parris said the next day he was at Pierre's house in Ste Madeleine, when Maraj-Naraynsingh, driving a white Datsun 280C, pulled up in front of the house. "She was wearing a red sari with trimmings," Parris recalled. He said Morris and Pierre approached the car and spoke to Maraj-Naraynsingh and later that day, he saw her again at Ramasir's Auto Supplies.

Parris testified that Ramasir told him, "The lady wants to know what you all doing," adding, "she done pass the money and she not hearing anything on the radio."

Parris told the jury that he attempted to kill Naraynsingh on three occasions, but he was successful on the third.

He said on the first occasion, he waited for her as she drove into her home at Elizabeth Gardens, St Joseph. He said, however, he "aborted that mission" when he saw she had a toddler about four or five years old with her in the car.

Parris told the court that a couple of days later, he was at Ramasir's Auto Supplies with Morris, Pierre, and Ramasir when accused Maraj-Naraynsingh turned up. He said accused Maraj-Naraynsingh complained that she was listening on the radio but was not hearing anything and that nothing had transpired.

Continuing his testimony under further questioning by Seetahal, Parris said he told Maraj-Naraynsingh: "She (Chandra) will be dead as long as no child in the car."

Parris told the court that accused Maraj-Naraynsingh replied, "If is more money you want you will get more money to kill the child too."

Parris said he agreed to take more money to kill the child as well. Parris said Maraj-Naraynsingh told him: "Make sure this time the lady is dead."

The next day, Parris said, he saw accused Maraj-Naraynsingh and Ramasir at the latter's business place when they again spoke of the plan to kill Naraynsingh. Parris testified that Maraj-Naraynsingh told him that the money was paid up and there should be no excuses. Parris said Maraj-Naraynsingh handed an envelope containing $10,000 to Ken Morris and said — "Make sure this woman is dead this time. Make sure she is dead before the man comes back into the country."

Later that day, Parris said, he attempted to kill Chandra a second time. He told the court that he armed himself with the .38 revolver and was driven to the Langmore Health Foundation by a man named Bob Toussaint. Parris recalled that as Toussaint was driving into the compound of the clinic, Chandra was driving out.

He said he went back to his home at Fiona Street, Cocoyea, San Fernando, where he was living with Ken Morris' sister.

Parris said the third attempt came the next day. The State's witness testified that he was driven to the Langmore Health Foundation by Junior Morris. Parris recalled, "I was attired in a sling in my left hand. I had a 38 revolver."

He said Junior Morris dropped him on the main road to enter the clinic and he walked on to the compound where he saw Naraynsingh's car parked under an almond tree. "I stood at the entrance waiting for people to exit, looking for the intended target who I was supposed to take out," Parris told the jury. He said while he waited he spoke to children who were at a swimming pool on the compound.

Parris said when he saw women emerging from the clinic, he looked closely at them until he saw Chandra walking towards the car. She was carrying some bags in her hand.

Parris recalled that Chandra walked to the white Nissan Sentra and opened the front door of her car. She then opened the trunk of her car, he added. Parris testified that with the gun in his sling, he approached her while she put her belongings in the trunk of the vehicle.

Parris testified that Chandra had returned to the driver's seat when she looked at him. "She greeted me with a smile," Parris told the jury, "and went back to her driver's seat. I shot her. I shot her when she was seated in her vehicle."

Parris said he shot at Chandra five times towards her chest area. He said he then left the compound and went towards the surrounding canefields where Junior Morris was supposed to be waiting for him. Parris said he did not meet Morris, and instead took a maxi-taxi to San Fernando. Parris said he went to Ramasir's Auto Supplies.

Parris testified that he met accused Ramasir and told him "the job had been taken care of." Parris said Ramasir asked about the gun, but he did not answer him. He said Ramasir gave Pierre instructions, and Pierre took him to Clint James' apartment at Green Acres, Cross Crossing, San Fernando.

Parris recalled that a few hours later Maraj-Naraynsingh and Ramasir and others met him at the apartment. "She (Maraj-Naraynsingh) said she heard the thing on the radio and I will get my thing tomorrow," Parris testified.

Parris said Ramasir asked him about the gun, but he refused to disclose its whereabouts.

Parris said the next day he received $10,000, which he used to purchase firearms and bullet proof vests.

He told the court that he stayed at the apartment for the next four days, during which time police officer Aldwyn Dyette told him a fingerprint was found and that he was a suspect in Naraynsingh's murder.

Parris testified that when he spoke to Ramasir, the businessman asked him to leave the country by boat for Venezuela.

Under cross-examination yesterday from Queen's Counsel Karl Hudson-Phillips, Parris admitted that he sought to avoid the life sentence prison term he is serving for Chandra's murder. He told the court that he wrote a letter to an ACP Crime and Intelligence seeking to make a deal with the State.

He also admitted to Hudson-Phillips that at one time he did considered himself a "calculated killer." The trial continues today at 9 am when Parris will be further cross-examined.

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