Indian court ‘at last feels like it is fit for purpose’, say Groves family
BAILABLE bonds have been helping to get witnesses to court in the trial of Richard de Wit, who is accused of murdering 24-year-old Guernsey girl Sarah Groves in Srinagar in 2013.
However, attempts to find a taxi driver, who is considered a vital witness, have been unsuccessful.
The 107th court hearing took place in India on Saturday. There has been difficulties in getting witnesses to appear in court.
Sarah’s father, Vic, said the police have started issuing bailable bonds of 5,000 rupees – about £58 – against witnesses, which they forfeit if they do not appear.
That resulted in two witnesses attending Saturday’s hearing, although there was only time to hear one.
‘This was an encouraging development, except that the taxi driver, deemed to be the most important witness yet to be heard, did not present himself yet again,’ Mr Groves said.
Mr Groves said the current judge was handling the matter well.
‘He continues to handle the case with much greater authority than his predecessor [in the previous court],’ he said.
‘His approach can be summed up as firm, but fair. There were several occasions through the day when the judge rebuked the prosecutor for various omissions. In an overall sense, the courtroom – perhaps for the first time since the trial began in June 2013 – felt like a court fit for purpose.’
Full story in today's Guernsey Press
