Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Grasstrack champion’s sons testify at wife’s murder PI
The 13 year-old and 11-year-old sons of grass track champion rider Dave Gangadin took to the box in the Preliminary Inquiry into the alleged murder of their mother, Bridgette.
The Inquiry is being conducted by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.
The two children boldly testified about the day prior to their mother’s death and the clarity of their testimony was praised by the court, including Prosecutor, Police Inspector Lloyd Thomas and Defence Counsel Bernard De Santos.
Before their testimonies, the court had to be assured that they were competent to give evidence in the matter as well as stand up to cross examination.
Relatives of both the deceased and victim sat in the court room listening attentively to the testimonies of the two boys, some even nodding their heads as the children described events leading up to their mothers death.
Bridgette Gangadin
Except for some minor explanations, at no time did the children indicate that they did not understand what was being asked of them, even during cross-examination.
Throughout their testimonies, both boys tried to avoid eye contact with their father who stood with his hands crossed in front of him in the dock.
Gangadin, of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara was charged with the murder of his wife Bridgette after her body, with her head crushed was discovered on the Vigilance Public Road, a few yards from the gate of the Vigilance Police Station compound.
Gangadin had told police that his wife fell out of the truck and he later admitted that he failed to render assistance after the rear wheels of the truck ran over her head.
Initially he faced traffic charges resulting from the incident after a local Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, found that the woman died from a fractured skull, which was consistent with the version of events that Gangadin had given to investigators.
However, relatives of the dead woman were not satisfied with the local Pathologist’s findings, and they eventually obtained the services of a foreign Pathologist for a second opinion.
The foreign Pathologist, Professor Hubert Daisley, found that there was evidence that Bridgette Gangadin was strangled.
This led to the institution of the murder charge.
Kaieteur News understands that Professor Daisley will have to return to Guyana to tender his autopsy report and face cross examination by the defence.
Also testifying on Friday were Police Corporal Rose who gave testimony of his certification of the Motor Canter that Gangadin was driving at the time of the incident, and Corporal Floyd Hossanah, who was one of the crime scene ranks involved in the matter.
Meanwhile, Defence Counsel De Santos expressed concern at what he described as procrastination on the part of the police.
He was referring to the excuse given by Corporal Hossanah of not being able to tender evidence that was gathered at the scene of the crime, because of the absence of the officer- in-charge of the police crime laboratory.
De Santos pointed out that the incident occurred since May last year and the samples were taken since then, yet the police witness told the court that he could not present it at Friday’s court hearing.
Dave Gabgadin being led from the courtroom after his first court appearance last year May.
“I don’t know whose carelessness it is, but it is some carelessness. I don’t want to pinpoint it and put it at anybody’s door…This witness’s office is at CID headquarters, Eve Leary and that is where the crime lab is, so he could check ten times a day (for it). It is disgusting really,” Senior Counsel De Santos stated.
The matter was put down for continuation on February 24th.
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