Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
Death bed statement collapses in court… miner walks free of murder charge
A miner walked free of a murder charge yesterday after the death bed statement produced on behalf of the victim failed to stand up in Court. The case was dismissed by Justice Navindra Singh.
David Campbell
Rajesh Roopnarine, also known as ‘Boss Man’, appeared before Justice Singh at the High Court in Georgetown on a charge of murder.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on December 6, 2014, at Mabura, Upper Demerara River, he murdered David Campbell. However at the commencement of his trial yesterday, the court was informed that the main evidence against Roopnarine, was not enough to convict him of the offence.
The Prosecution led by State Attorney, Tariq Mohamed and Tuanna Hardy, had presented a statement purported to be the victim’s dying declaration as the chief evidence in the case. However upon examination of the document, the Court found that the statement did not contain the elements to satisfy the legal definition of such a declaration.
The Prosecution had called three witnesses in the matter. Among them, the policeman, who secured the statement from the victim, a day before he met his demise.
However since the Court rejected the statement as dying declaration, the miner who was represented by Attorney- at -law Nigel Hughes, was freed of the charge.
Based on reports, the now dead man was a chainsaw operator in the Mabura area. He sustained third degree burns about his body and died at the Georgetown Public Hospital seven days after he was reportedly set alight at a mining camp.
Campbell resided at Old Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara was at the time with his colleagues, Jason Persaud, Etwaroo Karran and Tyron Campbell, who were also in the camp when it was set alight. The three men, however, managed to escape without injuries.
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