Cool Square murder accused claims he left hotel before shooting

Feb 06, 2016 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Murder accused, Leon Duncan, told the court yesterday that he has no knowledge of the robbery/shooting

Accused: Leon Duncan

of businessman Intaz Roopnarine at Cool Square Hotel in January 2013 because he checked out of the hotel, the night before the incident occurred.
Roopnarine, called ‘Bobby’ of 169 Mandela Avenue, is said to have collapsed and died near to a septic tank aback of the Cool Square Hotel in Marigold Street, West Ruimveldt on January 24, 2013.
The businessman was reportedly wearing several pieces of expensive jewellery when he was shot and robbed as he was preparing to leave the hotel. His assailant escaped with a gold and diamond chain worth $500,000, one gold band worth $700,000 and other jewellery, all priced at a total of $2,200,000.
Duncan called ‘Whistle’, was arrested and charged for the murder.
His trial is ongoing before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry and a mixed jury at the Georgetown High Court. He is being represented by Attorney-at-Law, Mark Waldron.
In an unsworn statement to the court yesterday, Duncan said that he met his ex girlfriend, Tiana Cumberbatch, at the Edge Night Club on Main Street on January 23, 2013.
He said that after enjoying a good night at the club, he and his ex-girlfriend decided to spend some time at a hotel. Duncan told the court that they left the club in a taxi, which dropped them off at Cool Square Hotel in West Ruimveldt.
The accused said that after spending some time with his ex girlfriend at the hotel, they decided to go their separate ways; his girlfriend left in a taxi with her friend (Tiffany) and he left the place on foot, minutes later. He said he did not ride in the cab with his ex girlfriend because he was going to the home of the woman he was living with at the time.
Duncan said that he travelled to Cayenne a few weeks later. He said that it was on his return to Guyana in April that year that he was arrested by police for the robbery/ murder, which he insisted he knows nothing about.

Murdered: Intaz Roopnarine

On Wednesday, depositions of two witnesses were read into evidence following an application by State Prosecutor, Stacy Goodings. Goodings is presenting the case in association with Prosecutors Orinthia Schmidt and Tuanna Hardy. The police witnesses, Tiana Cumberbatch and Linden Shirley, could not be located.
Earlier in the trial, Police witnesses Suraj Singh and Rodwell Sarabo told the court that the ex-girlfriend of the accused had been with Duncan for some time during the night before the businessman was shot and killed. The court heard that the accused and his former girlfriend Tiana Cumberbatch went to the Cool Square Hotel on January 23, 2013. They spent some time there but later Cumberbatch left in a taxi with her friend Tiffany Glasgow.
According to the witnesses, Cumberbatch later learnt that someone was shot and killed at Cool Square. The policemen also told the court that Duncan’s ex -girlfriend had recalled that he contacted her and told her that he wanted to turn himself into the police because his name was being called in a murder.
The court learnt further that Duncan had asked his girlfriend to tell the police that he left Cool Square with her that night. Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh had also testified.
Dr Singh revealed that based on his findings following in the Post Mortem Examination, Roopnarine died as a result of gunshot injuries to the spine.