Ten witnesses testify in missing scalp murder trial

Feb 20, 2018 News

As the murder trial of the two women, one of them a United States citizen, continues in the Berbice High Court, 10 witnesses have been called so far.
The women Hemwattie Abdulla, 37, called “Anita Nazeema Khan”, formerly of Albion, Corentyne and of Ozone Park, New York, USA; and her accomplice Surojinie Tirmaul, 43, of Belvedere New Housing Scheme, Corentyne, Berbice are on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and mixed jury.
The two women are accused of murdering Abdool Shakeel Majid, called “Shakiel”, a citizen of the USA between April 23 and April 27, 2012 in the county of Berbice.
By way of an arrangement, Seerujnie Tirmaul called “Surojnie” and “Usha” allegedly paid money to a third person, Pooran Jhadoo, at the request of Hemwattie Abdulla, called “Annie” and “Anesa”.
The Prosecution case is that around 07:40 hrs on April 27, 2012 the body was found with his scalp missing, and bearing other injuries on the No. 56 Village, Corentyne foreshore.
Abdulla is being represented by attorneys-at-law Mursalene Bacchus and Arun Gossai, while Tirmaul is being represented by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes. Attorney-at-law Ganesh Hira is prosecuting the matter on behalf of the state.
So far the state has called a total of 10 witnesses.
When the matter continued, Police Inspector Michael Newland testified to finding a ring and earring from a black handbag. During his testimony, some legal challenges were mounted and a number of station records were requested.
Detective Corporal Dwayne Harvey told the court that he was stationed at the No. 51 Police Station and upon receiving a report of a body on the beach, he and a party of police visited the scene.
There was an unidentified body with its scalp missing. The body was clad in a multi-coloured brief only. There were marks of violence on the back and other parts of the body.
A post mortem examination was subsequently conducted on the body which remained in cold storage until it was identified on May 15, 2012.
He said on May 20, 2012, he contacted Abdulla in the CID office at the Central Police Station.
Testifying earlier was the brother of the deceased- Abdul Haseef Majid. He testified to arriving in Guyana from the USA and conducting inquiries after not hearing from his brother and learning that he was missing. During the interim, the wife returned to the USA.
He detailed visiting the police station and filing a missing person report.
Another brother, Zahir Thomas, testified to his brother and his wife visiting him during the time they came to Guyana.
The man’s sister-in-law, Beverly Majid stated that she knew her brother-in-law and his wife since they would communicate on a regular basis. She mentioned them leaving the USA April 22, 2012; they made contact that they had arrived safely. She said that on April 27, the accused was back in the USA. She told them that the deceased had gone to Suriname.
She said the accused again left for Guyana on May 8, 2012 saying that she was going to search for the deceased.
Sudesh Daniels worked at a wash bay at Adelphi, East Canje. He testified to washing a car. He was subsequently questioned by the police.
Rice miller Nafizul Hack testified to knowing the deceased for a long time. He identified the body on May 15, 2012 at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
Taxi driver, Shazad Ally testified to travelling to the airport and collecting the accused.
Zamal Hussein, in his testimony, spoke of an accident with a car and of settling the matter out of court.
Police Sergeant, Lindon Forbes Sampson testified to examining a grey motorcar PNN 1208 at the Providence Police Station. The car trunk had some air fresheners with what appeared to be blood on some of them. They were swabbed and taken to be examined.
He also examined the badly battered body at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
The matter is continuing.

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