‘Montrose Granny’ murder PI continues

Jan 10, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Danrasie Ganesh, the elderly woman who

MURDER ACCUSED:
Colin Alleyne

was found dead on August 1, 2015 in her Montrose, East Coast Demerara home, continued yesterday before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts.
However, the matter was adjourned until tomorrow, when Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo, the final witness, will testify.
Police Lance Corporal David Goodridge is representing the prosecution.
Collin Alleyne, 23, of Timehri Cemetery Road, East Bank Demerara, is currently on remand for the capital offence.
The battered body of 77-year-old Ganesh also known as Carmen was found in her Montrose, East Coast Demerara home, on August 1, 2015, by relatives who went to check on her after she failed to answer neighbours’ calls. The gruesome murder was captured on surveillance camera.
It was reported that Ganesh’s killer, believed to be Alleyne, clubbed her on the head with a tyre wrench and dragged her into a corner, where she collapsed. It was then that the killer allegedly wrapped a hand-towel around her neck, kicked and stomped the old woman until she lay motionless.
Alleyne was captured at Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, some three weeks after the murder. He reportedly told detectives that a male relative of Ganesh paid him $700,000 to kill her and steal documents pertaining to her property.
At an October 13, 2016 court hearing, video footage of a man sneaking into the elderly woman’s home and attacking her was shown to the court.

MURDERED: Danrasie
Ganesh called Carmen

At that hearing, Detective Sergeant Julio Jonas, who is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown was called to tender CCTV footage of the gruesome murder which was captured on cameras on the premises.
An unrepresented Alleyne, who normally behaves disorderly, sat calmly in the prisoner’s dock as the videos were being played in court during the morning session.
However, the case was adjourned to the afternoon session after the Magistrate documented minutes. During the afternoon proceedings, the accused was visibly upset at the footage being shown to the court and did not hesitate to express his objections.
Alleyne hurled a series of expletives to the court which forced the Magistrate to adjourn the matter.
Earlier on in the PI, Detective Inspector, Cedric Gravesande gave evidence in relation to a confrontation he had with Alleyne at CID Headquarters. At the time of the murder, the police witness told the court that he was the Officer in Charge of crime at the Sparendaam Police Station. Upon completion of the witness’s testimony, Alleyne declined to cross-examine him.