Suspected Campbellville murder weapon tendered in court

Jun 09, 2015 Court Stories, Features / Columnists

The weapon believed used in the murder of Colleen Forester was yesterday tendered into evidence in the trial which is ongoing before Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire and a mixed jury at the Georgetown High Court.

Anthony De Paul Hope is accused of conspiring with others to murder his aunt, Colleen Forrester

The body of 56-year-old Colleen Forrester was found bound in a septic tank. She had been murdered allegedly by her nephew, Anthony De Paul Hope, called ‘Papa’, 27, of ‘C’ Field Sophia; RalphTyndall, 28, of ‘C’ Field, Sophia; and 28-year old Kevin O’Neil, of Seaforth Street, Campbellville.
The three men became suspects after Forrester disappeared on December 27, 2007. The woman was last seen at her brother’s house at Lot 55, William Street, Campbellville.
She was reported missing after neighbours noticed something was amiss and raised an alarm.
On January 6, 2008, her body was found by police ranks. Her ankles were bound and her body wrapped in sheets before it was tossed into the septic tank. Investigations later led to the arrest of the woman’s nephew and his two friends.
Forrester was allegedly strangled and beaten to death with a pestle (mortar stick) by the trio. Yesterday a piece of wood described as a mortar stick was presented to the court by retired Policeman, Ewing Trotman.
The ex-cop testified that he collected the item along with pieces of cloth, and a piece of mattress when he visited the crime scene; the items were said to have contained dried blood.
Trotman told the court that the objects, along with photographic exposures which were taken of the crime scene were handed over to detective, Supt Stephen Greaves for forensic analysis.
In his evidence, Detective Greaves told the court that the items underwent forensic analyses and it was revealed that human blood was indeed present on them. The officer, however, said that he could not tell the court, whose blood was found on the items.
He subsequently explained that the investigation did not reveal this since the Police Crime Laboratory is not equipped to conduct DNA analysis and testing.
The victim’s daughter, Ayaana Forrester, also testified, yesterday. She recalled that her mother was staying with her cousin (Hope) at Lot 55 William Street Campbellville, some time before she was found murdered.
The witness told the court that she had visited the property a few days before her mother’s corpse was found in the septic tank. The woman said that she met her cousin (Hope) at the house but her mother was not there. She said that they spoke briefly and her mother’s name came up during the conversation. She recalled her cousin telling that her mother had not sent a telephone number from Trinidad as yet.
Forrester who described the relationship she had with her mother as “being very good,” told the court that she did not ask her cousin anything further about her mother’s whereabouts but left off speaking to him and went on her way.
In answer to questions posed by Prosecutor Shawnette Austin, the witness related her last encounter with her mother, was on Christmas Day, approximately one week before she was found dead.
She clarified that she saw her mom while on visit to her aunt’s residence in Bent Street, Lodge. “She looked healthy and strong,” the witness recalled when asked to describe how her mother appeared at the time.
Under cross examination by Attorney at Law George Thomas, the witness related that she was also with her mother and aunt at Hotel Tower, on Christmas Day. Forrester only admitted this, after she was allowed to read her original deposition, based on a request by Thomas.
The woman also recalled that she received a telephone call on January 6, 2007. She said that as result of the telephone call she went to Campbellville where she saw a crowd of people had gathered in front the premises, where her mother once stayed.
Forrester related that four men were in the yard. She said that the men took something out of the septic tank placed it into a steel box and transported it out of the yard.
Before Forrester could leave the stand, she faced questions from the jury. A member of the panel inquired from the woman whether her cousin told her that her mother had travelled to Trinidad. She replied in the negative, relating that her cousin only said that mother had not sent a telephone number from Trinidad as yet.
The witness was then asked what her reaction to the statement and she said she had no reaction. She said that she just continued gaffing with her cousin for a while before leaving the premises.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News