Housemother of the Anjuman orphanage, Ms Bibi Neaz Hakim, yesterday told the judge and jury in the orphanage inmate murder trial, "I had lied to the Police when I reported to them that the boy Rahim Abdool (now dead) had run away from the orphanage on the morning of October 16, 2002."
The woman, who swore that her religion, Islam, is against the telling of lies and that she owes greater loyalty to her religion than her employer, explained:-
"I know that the boy did not run away from the orphanage as I had said. But l lied on that occasion because my boss, the number one accused, Nazir Hamid, who was the vice president of the organisation, had instructed me to lie.
Hakim, a witness for the Prosecution, had earlier told Justice of Appeal Ms Claudette Singh and the mixed jury that on the day in question Rahim and another boy named Ramo had left together for the store of K. Rahaman & Sons at Russell and Evans Streets, Charlestown, at about 7.30 o'clock in the morning.
According to her, they would normally return to the orphanage in the afternoon to take part in prayers.
Hakim said that around 7.30 p.m., when they did not return, she called the store and was told by the number two accused, Yusuf Rahaman, called Kenneth, that the boys were engaged in the packing of goods. She called about an hour later and the number two accused again told her that the boys were still engaged in packing.
Witness went on to state that about 10 o' clock, the number one accused
Nazir Hamid called her and told her that Rahim had run away from the store since morning, and that she (the witness) should go to the Police the following morning to make a report.
Witness, however, told the Court that Hamid warned her not to say that the boy had run away from the store, but to say instead that he had run away from the orphanage.
She declared that the accused Hamid had reasoned that if she mentioned the store, they (the personnel of the store), would get into "big problem with child labour if the Welfare Department intervenes".
Both accused are indicted with the killing of the orphan boy, Rahim Abdool, allegedly committed between December 15 and 17, 2002.
According to the witness, she never saw Abdool alive again. She identified a picture of his body, which bore marks of violence.
Hakim said that the boy, Ramo, who left with Rahim for Rahaman's store on that fateful day, returned the following day. However, Ramo has since left the orphanage and his whereabouts are unknown.