Tuesday January 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Cotton Tree Murder trial ...
Kaieteur News article led to capture of murder accused court told An article appearing in the Kaieteur News back in December 2009 concerning a missing person (school girl ) led to the capture of a murder accused and his school girl lover in Lethem after they had fled from West Coast of Berbice. This was revealed in the Berbice High Court during the trial of Nazrudeen Jahoot called “Buddy” of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice, who is indicted for the murder of one time neighbour Ramlall Mangal called “Ochro” and “Dereck”. The trial is being conducted before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a mixed jury. An alert police Constable Devon Semple who was stationed at the Lethem police station at the time said t h a t h e s a w t h e g i r l ’s picture in the Kaieteur News on December 30, 2009. He said that the girl was behind a supermarket. She was hiding. The policeman said that he approached her and when he enquired what she was
doing there and who she was she lied. She gave her name as Anita Singh and told him that she was 18 years old. He subsequently got hold of Jahoot who told him his name was Vicki, a salesman in the area. Constable Semple, who was being led by State Prosecutor Prithina Kissoon, stated that based on the information in the Kaieteur News he arrested the two and took them to the Police station. He then contacted the relevant police station. The girl later confirmed that her name was Lisa Mangal. He subsequently confirmed that the male was Nazrudeen Jahoot who was wanted for murder. They were later escorted to the Police Headquarters at Eve Leary. Next on the witness stand was a female Detective corporal who testified to transferring Jahoot from Eve Leary to Fort Wellington police station. Detective Inspector
Kadarnauth Bejaimal was next to give evidence. He told the court that he took a caution statement from Jahoot who along with Lisa Mangal was taken to the station around midday. He said that after he cautioned Jahoot and told him of his rights, the accused told him that he understood and said, “Me gon tell yo how me get fo kill Ochro.” He agreed to give a statement which he told him to write. The inspector also outlined to the court the process under which he obtained the caution statement from the accused. After the accused read the statement he looked at it for a while and said, “Dah ah the truth.” Kissoon then asked that the Caution Statement be tendered into evidence, however defense attorney Charrandass Persaud objected stating that his client never affixed his signature to the document. Justice Reynolds in his ruling stated that he was
satisfied as far as the law is concerned that the statement was free and voluntary. However on the issue of fact it is a matter for the jury to decide. The statement was then read. According to information Mangal was allegedly stabbed to death around midday during a fight,
which ended in a trench. The man allegedly crawled out and sat on a bench outside his home where he allegedly bled to death. The accused, who was 18 at the time of the crime, fled to Lethem and was cohabiting with the victim’s daughter in Lethem when he was arrested.
They were arrested and brought to the coast where he was questioned. He gave a statement telling the officers how he killed “Ochro.” The trial is expected to continue today when Defence council Charrandass Persaud will begin his cross examination of the witnesses.