00:00 Just after 3 o'clock this afternoon, the director of public prosecutions, Roger Gaspard, confirmed
00:06 he was meeting with police officers to receive the remit of the TTPS's investigation into
00:12 the death and illegal interment of 18-year-old Hannah Matura.
00:18 However, two hours later, it appeared that the evidence police gathered was insufficient,
00:23 as Gaspard instructed the two suspects in custody be released and police continue digging
00:30 for more clues into the woman's murder and burial.
00:34 It's exactly one week after police, on receiving what can only be described as "bizarre information",
00:42 went to the family's Butu Road Valsein home, dug up the backyard to discover Hannah's skeletal
00:48 remains in a shallow grave.
00:51 An autopsy revealed she died from a single gunshot wound to the head, believed to be
00:56 from a handgun, in 2017, seven years ago.
01:01 Neighbors suggested the teen and her seven surviving siblings were victims of abuse and
01:06 captivity as they would often hear them screaming and pleading for the abuse to stop.
01:12 We learned from the Matura siblings' attorneys, Sasha Paula Singh and Sanjeev Budu, that one
01:18 week since everything became public knowledge was simply not enough for them to get back
01:23 any semblance of their lives to attend to school or go to work.
01:29 Matura children have been removed, I don't say removed forcibly, but they have, due to
01:37 the circumstances, been removed from their home.
01:41 They are at this time unable to return to their home.
01:43 As such, they have to go through the modes of settling down.
01:51 That is a process in and of itself, so that they are very minded to return to work, return
01:58 to school, as it might apply to each of them.
02:01 But that, of course, will take them some time to settle, to emotionally stabilize.
02:09 And we do expect that they will make attempts to return to work and school sooner rather
02:14 than later.
02:16 As far as the social media attacks on the siblings are concerned, Budu said he would
02:20 not exactly term them harassment, but at times they bother the Matura seven.
02:27 He advises the public there is a lot they do not know of the circumstances at Butu Road,
02:32 as even the children are learning more each day.
02:36 Particularly on social media, when this bout of misinformation continues to be circulated,
02:43 of course, it disturbs the children and the readers.
02:46 A lot of information has been unearthed in the course of these proceedings that these
02:50 children were not even privy to.
02:54 Several facts have come out as a result of the police's investigation that they themselves
02:59 need to grapple with, need to analyze.
03:04 Depending on if and when someone is charged with Hannah's death, we asked if the children
03:10 are now fearful for their safety and exploring protection orders.
03:15 The Matura children are very hopeful that the appropriate course of action will come
03:21 from them sharing their stories finally.
03:24 And they are very hopeful that that will lead to a just outcome.
03:29 In the event that their security is placed at risk, the police have engaged, I understand,
03:35 the support of the victim support unit, and they have other resources at their disposal
03:41 that the Matura children can employ if it becomes necessary to preserve their security.
03:47 We've also spoken with them about the various options that they may have in the event that
03:51 their security becomes threatened.
03:54 And they are taking it under advisement, but at this time it's very much premature to say
04:00 if any of those steps will become appropriate.
04:03 Were they aware there may have been a weapon and in particular a handgun at the home where
04:09 they slept each night?
04:10 We have no such advice.
04:11 We have no such information and no instructions according to those things.
04:17 Even as far as we know with respect to the police's investigations, we are unaware of
04:22 any of those items.
04:24 In terms of whether the statements that the children have given to the police will reflect
04:28 any of that information, we are not in a position to say.
04:32 But as yet, we don't have instructions on the issue of a gun or any handgun.
04:38 DPP Gaspard could not say how long his deliberations will likely take, but attorneys commend the
04:44 police for their handling of the sensitive investigation.
04:48 The police have treated the children with dignity, respect and patience and have been
04:53 very cooperative throughout the process.
04:56 The police have engaged the Victim Support Unit of the TTPS to provide support to the
05:01 Mathura children, for which they are in fact very grateful.
05:05 Hannah Mathura's next of kin are her parents.
05:08 In their absence, her siblings would be charged with carrying out her final rites if and when
05:14 her remains are handed over.
05:16 It is a topic that the siblings have raised with us, with a view to getting their options
05:24 on that particular issue.
05:27 And I can say that it is certainly something they are considering.
05:30 However, no steps have been taken towards that end just yet, because we are not of the
05:35 view that the time for that is appropriate.
05:37 We are not clear on whether the police have completed what is necessary on their end for
05:43 us to make that next step.
05:46 Singh and Voodoo committed to keeping the public informed as the case of the still mysterious
05:51 Hannah Mathura progresses.
05:54 Urvashi Tiwari, Ruknarain, TV6 News.
05:56 Thank you.
05:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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