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Prosecution closes case in Babita Sarjou murder PI
More than 20 witnesses—among them a doctor and several policemen—were called to testify by Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers in the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder of Babita Sarjou.
MURDERED: Babita Sarjou, MURDER ACCUSED: Darrel Ponton and MURDER ACCUSED: Shardanand Naraine
After months of witnesses, Prosecutor Jeffers closed the case for the state yesterday when the PI continued before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It is alleged that Sarjou’s ex-spouse, Sharnandand Naraine, called ‘Anand’ of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown; and Darrel Ponton called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown, murdered Sarjou. They are currently on remand.
The PI continues today when Naraine is expected to call witnesses in his defence.
Attorneys-at-Law Ronald Trotman and Hubert Rodney are representing the murder accused.
Sarjou had left her home to go to the Diwali motorcade on the eve of November 4, 2010, reportedly with Naraine who had called her.
She went missing and her skeletal remains were discovered in Naraine’s backyard on May 22, 2016.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum and a team of detectives were able to crack the case after they spent over five hours digging up a site at Naraine’s home. After digging the site, detectives recovered skeletal remains which DNA samples confirmed were those of Sarjou’s.
Naraine reportedly picked her up in his car and while she was sitting in the front passenger seat she was allegedly strangled by Ponton who was reportedly seated at the back of the car.
Sarjou’s lifeless body was allegedly transported to Naraine’s house where it was buried.
Reports had indicated that Naraine had dug the grave two days before Sarjou was killed.
During the PI, Brazilian doctor Renato Teodoro Ferreira Paranaibo testified in relation to DNA tests he conducted on Sarjou’s skeletal remains.
Also testifying was Champa Seonarine, the mother of Sarjou.
Seonarine, who said she is a farmer, told the court that she last saw her daughter on November 4, 2010. The woman recalled that her daughter had left home to attend the Diwali motorcade in Georgetown.
The mother also identified several pieces of clothing, a pair of footwear and jewellery that were recovered from the shallow grave as her daughter’s belongings.
According to the mother, she last saw her daughter wearing those items.
Police Inspector Suraj Singh and Police Lance Corporal Jermaine Laundry—both detectives—had testified to interviewing Narine and Ponton at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown during which they told them of a murder allegation and cautioned them in accordance to the judge’s rule.
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