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Kaieteur News
Crime scene photographer completes testimony in cane juice murder PI Crime scene photographer Lance Corporal, Desmond Johnny, was the only witness to take the stand yesterday as he completed his evidence in the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the death of 20-year old cane juice vendor, Madhuri Padumdeo, who was discovered dead with a piece of rope tied tightly around her neck in the home she shared with her reputed husband, Michael Anthony Persaud. Persaud is currently charged with the murder of his lover on December 22 last year. Johnny, who returned to continue his evidence-inchief, is being led by police prosecutor Robert Tyndall. The matter is being heard by Magistrate Judy Latchman. Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos is representing the accused. The crime scene photographer testified to taking photographs of the crime scene and of the deceased. He told the court what he did with the images and where he had lodged them. He explained to the court what he had done in providing the said pictures which were later presented and tendered as evidence. De Santos however objected to the court’s acceptance of the photos stating that the images had no relevance to the case. The senior attorney said that the photographs were repetitive and that the position of the deceased was allegedly changed to accommodate the photos that were being taken. He also made mention of the contents of the photo which he said exposed nudity on the part of the deceased. The court then saw it necessary to ask about the relevance of the numerous
Madhuri Padumdeo
Michael Anthony Persaud
photos that exposed much of the deceases private parts, but the prosecution simply replied that all the photos had their purpose since they make up the prosecution’s case. The court then accepted the 25 tendered images. Johnny also presented a black plastic bag to the court that contained items reportedly taken from the crime scene. The police photographer as procedural, made connections with the bag and explained to the court how he was able to identify the said black plastic bag. He then revealed its contents and one by one the court accepted and tendered the items. The police had presented items including a piece of rope and a piece of wire. Underwear reportedly belonging to the deceased and the accused were also tendered by the court. Again De Santos objected to the evidence that was given. He maintained his objection in relation to the evidence throughout the matter. De Santos said he did not see the relevance of the items of the black bag being produced. The prosecutor again forwarded that all the
items were taken from the crime scene and were quite relevant to the case as it was also part of the prosecution’s evidence against the accused. Johnny before leaving the witness box was cross examined by De Santos. Johnny was then excused from the box after the prosecution denied reexamination. The matter is expected to be called again on August 10. Persaud was reportedly found by police officers lying next to his dead reputed wife while a piece of rope was tied tightly around her neck. The woman was found half naked in the home she shared with her lover at Lot 8 North Sophia, Bel Air. Persaud along with the dead woman’s employer were arrested in connection to the crime. The employer was however released while Persaud was charged. There was no clear motive for the woman’s murder but there was speculation that the woman allegedly had multiple relationships while she was with her lover. The deceased, a mother of one, worked as a cane juice vendor not far from where she lived.
Saturday July 21, 2012
After four months…
Fisherman’s family conducts funeral service The Bhagwandin family, realizing that they needed closure, and that there is no way that their missing loved one, Lakeram Bhagwandin may still be alive, has conducted a funeral ceremony in his honour. According to the fisherman’s mother, Margaret Bhagwandin, it is not possible for her son to still be alive and not make contact with his family, thus, she is forced to believe that her son is dead. The woman during a telephone interview with Kaieteur News said that as hard as it was for her to conduct her son’s last rites, it was the right thing to do, as she was advised that her son’s soul may not rest in peace if his body is never recovered. It was alleged that the 32-year-old Foulis, Enmore resident had been “tripping out”. He
got involved in an argument after which he was taken to rest in a cabin from where he disappeared a short while after. While it is still unclear as to whether someone witnessed Lakeram actually jumping off the vessel, his mother, Margaret Bhagwandin had maintained that she does not believe that her son would just jump off a boat in the middle of nowhere. However, it was alleged that the 32-yearold fisherman jumped off the fishing trawler named the “Noble Sun” some 17 miles off Charity and about 25 miles off the mouth of the Pomeroon River in early April last. Hours after the incident, Bhagwandin’s family, while clinging to some sort of hope, had ventured out to scour the rough Pomeroon waters for his body, but returned to the shores empty handed.
Judge to rule on submissions in Grandmother manslaughter trial The manslaughter trial of Thakurmani, 64, of Bennett Dam, Rosignol, West Berbice who is alleged to have killed her husband, Yodha, called ‘Ramsook Maikhoo,’ a fish vendor on April 27, 2008 at their home is continuing in the Berbice High Court before Justice James Bovell-Drakes and a mixed jury. The matter is expected to continue on Tuesday when Justice James Bovell Drakes is expected to rule after submissions were made by Defence Counsel Rabindranauth Singh in the absence of the jury after the Prosecution’s final witness, Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, had testified. Dr. Singh had testified in the place of fellow pathologist Dr. Vivikanand Brijmohan who had performed the autopsy at the NewAmsterdam Public Hospital. Dr. Brijmohan was unavoidably absent due to illness. Among injuries observed
Stray catchers needed
on the body, according to the report, were four incised wounds under the right arm. The left eye socket was exposed with the lower and upper eyelids completely eaten while most of the upper and outer eyelids on the right and the outside were missing. There were extensive bruises to the right lower arm, elbow and upper arm, a series of transverse bruises on the right lower lateral aspect of the abdomen and the right and upper quadrant of the buttocks. The cause of death was given as shock and haemorrhage and multiple incised wounds. The incised wounds could have been caused by a sharp instrument, notably a chisel, scissors, bottle, cutlass, knife, zinc, or glass. State Prosecutor Ms. Rhondel Weaver in her opening address, on June 28 last, revealed that the accused and the deceased had lived together for over 40 years at Lot 50 Bennett Dam, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice. They had seven children. A number of witnesses had testified, including the victim’s brother Charrandan Maikhu who gave evidence to seeing his sibling two times for the day. The second time he was in a pool of blood. He
was subsequently taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. He was later taken to the Mortuary. Detective Corporal Duke Jack also gave testimony to the part he played in the investigation and after carrying out his investigation, he subsequently arrested the accused and placed her in custody. Krisendat Maikhu the couple’s son testified to identifying his father’s body at the Post Mortem examination. Kundal Persaud also testified that on the day in question he saw the accused in the morning. The man asked him for rum, which he gave to him. He did not see him again. Police Inspector Grace Bristol also gave evidence in the matter, stating that during the time of the incident she was a subordinate officer attached to the Blairmont Police station. Thakurmani was initially charged with the capital offence, but was committed on the lesser charge at the completion of a Preliminary Inquiry held at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Nigel Hawke. She was subsequently granted bail in the sum of $200,000.
New book dedicated to...
Clearly, the stray- catching initiative between the Home Affairs Ministry and Region Six Administration has not caught on. It was announced over a month ago that stray- catching was set to resume and that the system would work this time around, having failed on previous occasions.
Region Six Chairman, David Armogan, had said that the applicants were awaiting their Police Clearances to begin working; that was over a month ago. These cattle disrupted traffic yesterday along the main exit road out of the town of New Amsterdam, the Esplanade Road. Will the stray- catching initiative ever come on stream?
From page 13 someone who has influenced his life significantly. The valiance which Chase and others demonstrated in coming to Minister Gopaul’s aid when he was imprisoned in the “repressive era,” stands out in the minds of many onto this day. Having worked alongside the father of the Trade Union Movement, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, and former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan as the pillars of strength in Guyana’s politics, President Ramotar
said there are few people of distinction with interesting characters like Chase who should be given the loyalty they deserved. Chase has joined the list of top 10 professionals in the world after the International Biographical Centre (IBC) in England which brought the good news to him in a correspondence on July 12. The award which is accompanied by a laminated certificate makes Chase a new member of the IBC. The award will also be recorded in the halls of the IBC.