Murder trial aborted after jury forewoman remanded on narcotics charge

Dec 05, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

After going through a rigorous trial in the murder of Berbice businessman, Winston Ragnauth, the matter will have to go all over again. The case had to be aborted following the arrest and incarceration of the forewoman in the matter on a

Tamasha Bristol

charge of possession for narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
This information was conveyed to the court on Monday by Justice, Jo Ann Barlow before whom the matter was being heard.
Deputy ‘B’ Division Commander Senior Superintendent, Edmond Cooper was called to testify in court about the authenticity of the information.
Cooper confirmed to the court and the remaining jurors that the woman, 24-year-old Tamasha Bristol, was among a trio arrested with a quantity of narcotics on November 26, last.
The accused appeared before Magistrate, Rhondell Weaver at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on a joint charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
They allegedly had in their possession 11 pounds of marijuana. They were all remanded to jail.
On trial for the murder of Ragnauth were 25-year-old ex-policeman, Elton Haynes known as “Bush Bull” and “Ton,” of Manchester, Corentyne, Berbice, and Carlton Akeem Bourne called “Black Boy” of Whim, Corentyne, Berbice.
It is alleged that the men murdered the 57-year-old Ragnauth, called ‘Tony’, 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.
Attorney-at-law, Tuanna Hardy was prosecuting the case on behalf of the state.
Haynes was being represented by Attorney, Sasha Roberts of the Legal Aid Clinic while state-appointed attorney, Tanya Warren Clements was appearing for Bourne.
The matter had reached the stage where both the prosecution and defence had closed their cases and were set to address the jury. After the revelation about the jury forewoman, however, the matter was put down. Following the police revelation, the judge informed the court that the matter had to be aborted.
Since there should be 12 jurors, but only 11 were available. She told the court that the matter cannot go on with the 11 jurors. She told the two accused that they will have to return for trial before another judge at the next sitting of the Berbice High Court. She ordered that their matter comes up first.

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