Latest update April 11th, 2025 9:20 AM
Sophia murder trial nears conclusion
– Defence makes closing arguments
After calling two witnesses to the stand, Defense Attorney Huckumchand Parag made his closing address to court,
Roger Pilgrim
yesterday, in the murder trial of Sophia resident, Roger Pilgrim.
Pilgrim is on trial at the High Court for the murder of his neighbour, Shane Rowley.
Pilgrim, of 68 ‘A’ Field, Sophia, called “Charlie Pants,” allegedly stabbed Rowley in the vicinity of his home on January 22, 2011.
The killing reportedly took place during a fight that stemmed from years of suspicions about a damaged fence, which separated the home of the victim from that of the accused.
The victim was stabbed in the neck and shoulder. He later succumbed to his injuries.
However, the accused denied the allegation of murder on Tuesday, after a mixed 12-member jury was empanelled before Justice Dawn Gregory.
Pilgrim’s attorney had summoned his mother, Joyann Rowley, to the stand. The woman told the court that her son intervened after her neighbour had physically attacked her.
“Me son seh how yuh gun lash me mother, and Shane lash he with de chain. He run he round de yard and Roger pick up a knife and fire two juk pun he.”
Yesterday, Pilgrim’s brother, Sherwin Roberts, also testified. He told the court that Rowley started to abuse him over a stolen tyre.
Roberts claimed that during the period, Rowley attacked him. The witness said that his older brother (Pilgrim) intervened and a fight ensued.
“He lash me in me head cause he say that we thief a tyre that been in he yard,” the witness said yesterday.
Earlier in the trial, Police witness Inspector Chabunaught Singh was summoned to the stand by State Prosecutor Mercedes Thompson. Thompson is working in association with Attorney-at-Law, Natasha Backer.
Singh told the court that he arrested the accused and later procured a caution statement from him at Sparendaam Police Station. He said that in that statement, the accused detailed the incidents leading up to the alleged murder.
“Officer he (Rowley) beat me brother and me mother and me bore he because he lash me with a chain,” the policeman said that the statement read.
The witness said that the accused told him that he was asleep that day and was awakened by his younger brother.
“When I wake up I see me brother, Sherwin, head buss and I see Rasta man (Rowley) had a big chain in he hand and he saying that nobody can’t pass through the fence.
“I run outside and tell he he can do that. He push ma mother and I look around for a piece a wood fuh lash he but I see a knife by he step and I pick it up. He lash me with the chain across meh back and I tek the knife and bore pun he neck for defend meself and he fall down,” the policeman read.
Singh explained that statement was freely and voluntarily given by the accused.
“We used no force or inducement of any kind during the procurement of the caution statement.”
Singh was the third police witness to take the stand. His testimony followed the evidence of two other police officers, Corporal Lincoln Fraser and Detective Corporal Rawlin Beharry.
Fraser testified to witnessing a post mortem examination conducted on the victim’s body, while Beharry told the court that he visited the crime scene sometime after the incident occurred.
The Prosecution should make closing arguments today.
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