Panaji: A key witness in the British
teenager Scarlet death case on Friday identified both the accused
before the President of Goa children`s court.
Murli Sagar, who works at a beach shack, was present at
the place where Scarlet spent her last few hours before her
mutilated body was found on the beach front at Anjuna, Goa.
The witness identified both the accused in the court
when public prosecutor S R Rivonkar, representing CBI, asked
him whether he can recognise Samson D`Souza and Shana (Placido
Carvalho).
Both the locals are facing charges of drugging, raping
and leaving Scarlet to die on the beach in the intervening
night of February 17-18, 2008.
During the hour-long cross examination in the court,
Sagar contradicted majority of his statements given to Goa
police earlier on February 24, 2008.
He contradicted his earlier statement that on the fateful
night Scarlet was comfortable with Samson and was sitting on
his bike. He had also said that he had seen Samson holding
Scarlet from the back.
Sagar, originally hailing from Mumbai, also refused that
he had asked for cocaine from Samson as recorded in the police
statement.
Sagar today told the court that he did not face any
action for consumption of drugs on account of his statement
before the police. He refused that he has deposed falsely
before the police.
Scarlet, a British teenaged girl, had died while
holidaying in Goa. She had come to India with her mother,
Fiona Mackeown, her siblings and mother`s boyfriend.
The trial in the case is expected to gain momentum as
main witness, Fiona, is set to depose before the court soon.
Her lawyer Vikram Varma said he has received summons from the
court.
PTI
