Mother, lover make second court appearance

Oct 19, 2010 News

… Body in suitcase

The two persons accused of murdering Queen’s College student, Neesa Lalita Gopaul, yesterday made their second court appearance before Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The teen’s mother, Bibi Sherima Gopaul, and her lover, gym instructor, Jarvis Small, were charged with the gruesome murder on October 8, last. Gopaul, who was clad in a burgundy suit yesterday appeared to be more alert, while Small wore a yellow shirt and khaki pants.

Jarvis Small and Bibi Sherima Gopaul at their last court appearance

Yesterday, Small was represented by Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, while Gopaul was represented by attorney at law Vic Puran.
Police Prosecutor Lionel Harvey, yesterday, informed the court that he was not in possession of the file, and as such he could not say anything on the matter.
Senior counsel Bernard De Santos interjected and questioned the prosecutor about the exact location of the file. “We need to know where the file is….if it’s with Director of Public Prosecutions, sitting at Eve Leary or in the Court Superintendent’s office at Brickdam Police Station,” said the lawyer.
Prosecutor Harvey answered that on the last occasion he had requested for the file to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Puran, who is representing Gopaul, cautioned the prosecution, stating that they must know their case, if they are relying that the murder happened at Madewini.
The lawyer further told the court that the prosecution must not attempt to change the location at no point in the future. He opined that the prosecution must not fish for a case.
At this point, De Santo also addressed the court on the same matter, according to the lawyer, if the prosecution attempts to do that it would gravely hamper their case.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until November 23, for the commencement of the preliminary inquiry.
The police are contending that Gopaul and Small, between September 24, last and October 2, at Madewini on the Soesdyke, Linden Highway, murdered Neesa Lalita Gopaul.
The prosecution has stated that the young girl went missing on September 23, and a report was made at the Leonora Police Station by her mother on September 25.
The teen’s disfigured body was found in a large suitcase at the Emerald Tower Resort on the Highway on October 2.
Based on certain information received and articles found, the two defendants were arrested.
Puran who spoke briefly to Kaieteur News on the last occasion had said he hoped that the police had done their work thoroughly and he believes his client would be exonerated.
Neesa Gopaul’s body, with most of her head missing, was discovered on October 2 in a suitcase near the Emerald Tower Resort at Madewini, off the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
The black suitcase was dumped into the Madewini Creek.
A length of rope was wrapped around the body and the killer(s) had attached two dumb-bells, weighing more than 80 pounds, to the other end of the rope in an effort to weigh the body down.
The victim was wearing a pair of black shorts and a multi-coloured top. Her passport and a bank card were found with the remains.
The gruesome find was made around noon by a family that had gone to the abandoned resort to swim in the Madewini Creek.
Information provided to investigators indicate that the schoolgirl was lured into a life of drugs and was sexually abused.
It is believed that she was murdered for a property that was bequeathed to herself and her younger sister.
The Home Affairs and Human Services Ministries have both acknowledged that police, welfare officials and the victim’s relatives failed to do enough to save Neesa.