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Murder trial stalls as female jury foreman arrested in drug bust
The contentious murder trial of Berbice businessman Winston Ragnauth has been stalled due to the absence of the forewoman in the trial.
It has subsequently been learnt that the woman was among a trio that was arrested last Sunday morning in a drug bust by Berbice police on the West Coast of Berbice.
Former policeman Elton Haynes known as “Bush Bull” and “Ton,” 25, of Manchester, Corentyne, Berbice and Carlton Akeem Bourne called “Black Boy” of Whim, Corentyne, Berbice, are on trial in the Berbice High Court for Ragnauth’s murder.
They stand before Justice Jo Ann Barlow and a mixed Jury. They are accused of murdering Ragnauth, called ‘Tony’, 57, of 2 North Whim Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice. The man’s body was discovered on November 07, 2012, at his home at Whim, Corentyne, after his grocery shop had been broken into.
The case for the prosecution is being conducted by attorney at law Tuanna Hardy.
Haynes is being represented by Attorney at Law Sasha Roberts of the Legal Aid Clinic while state-appointed attorney Tanya Warren Clements is appearing for Bourne.
The matter was set to continue with addresses by both the prosecution and defence attorneys. However with Justice Barlow, the respective attorneys, the prisoners and 11 jurors in place, the forewoman was a no-show, forcing the matter to be stalled.
It was subsequently learnt that the woman, 24-year-old Tamasha Bristol, was among a trio arrested with a quantity of narcotics on Sunday last.
Bristol and two men, Jermaine Briggs, 42, and Ewarth George, 26, were reportedly nabbed in motor car PMM 8939 with a quantity of narcotics. They appeared before Magistrate’s Rhondell Weaver at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on a joint charge of possession of Narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and were remanded to jail.
The High Court matter was subsequently put down for next Monday when a decision will be made.
The trial had progressed quite some way, with both the prosecution and defence closing their cases and set to address the jury.
Earlier in her opening address Prosecutor Hardy told the court that between 6th and 7th of November 2012, while in company with others, Haynes and Bourne murdered Winston Ragnauth.
Murder accused, Carlton Bourne
During the trial the two accused caused quite a ruckus in the corridor, halls and steps of the court as they tried to proclaim their innocence. The men continuously lunged and banged at the walls while being taken from the court, forcing persons at the court and staff to take cover. Police back up had to be called in to assist the prison officials and the police stationed at the High Court.
A voir dire was also held following certain objections made by the defence attorneys. Before the voir dire four witnesses had testified including woman Detective Sergeant Joanne Johnson. She spoke of visiting the scene on the morning in question with other police ranks. She assisted with the investigation.
Woman Detective Corporal Debra Leitch mentioned visiting the scene where she observed the body of Ragnauth with wounds. There were also blood stains about the house. She took a number of photographs of the scene. The photographs were tendered as evidence. A knife and a green bag were also reportedly found at the scene.
Emmanuel Ragnauth, the victim’s son and a former policeman, told the court of visiting his father at his home on the evening of November 6, 2012, and rushing to the scene one day later, where he noticed the house ransacked and discovered his father’s dead body in a bedroom. At the time of his father’s death he was a Detective Police Officer stationed in the Berbice division.
Station Sergeant P Ibaran testified to arresting Haynes at Manchester, Corentyne, Berbice, and taking him into custody. He told the court of knowing Haynes before as a former member of the police force.
Following the voir dire, five witnesses took to the stand – Detective Sergeant Lawrence Thomas, Detective Corporal Chaitanand Jaisingh, Former Detective Kushdial Grant, Government Pathologist Doctor Vivikanand Brijmohan (who testified about conducting an autopsy on the body) and former Detective Constable Ragnauth.
Caution statements which were given by both accused were admitted into evidence. They both admitted to playing parts in the crime.
The men had appeared before Magistrate Rabindranath Singh at the Whim Magistrate’s Court where a preliminary inquiry was conducted and a prima facie case was determined to have been established.
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