Burnt body in car trunk…Witness protection for others giving evidence in murder trial …as case resumes today

Nov 04, 2019 News

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With all evidence suggesting that the key witness in the murder of Marlon Seon Rodney believed to have been brutally slain, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan said that the police will be seeking to place other witness in Government’s Witness Protection Programme.
The case resumes today.
Despite not disclosing the full details, Ramjattan told Kaieteur News that police officials have briefed him on how they plan to ensure the safety of the remaining witnesses.
On March 3, 2018, the Witness Protection Act of Guyana came into effect after being assented to by President David Granger.
The Act is geared to safeguard persons who have information on or are witnesses to criminal activity. This is to safeguard these individuals from violent retaliation or persecution from the accused person(s) in the matter.
One of the key provisions under the Act is for the establishment of a Witness Protection Programme. This programme allows person to be protected while they are attending court.

The Witness Protection Programme can also go as far as allowing the protected individual to obtain new identities.
Judges and Magistrates are to be informed in chambers about “relevant information” relating to the witnesses and they are prohibited from disclosing the information. Added to that, during criminal proceedings, parts that relate to the witnesses’ identity may be held in camera.
Some offences under which witnesses could seek protection are murder, manslaughter, treason, sedition, piracy or hijacking, gun-related crimes, trafficking, sexual and domestic violence related offences and offences under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism laws.
According to Part VI of the Witness Protection Act anyone, including participants or former participants of the programme are prevented from disclosing information in relation to the programme.
In default of this provision, a person can pay a $1M fine and spend 10 years in prison.
But protection appears to have come too late for key witness Collin Rodney, who vanished while on his way to court.
On Friday, one week after he disappeared, Rodney’s torched car, was found in a desolate area at Letter ‘T’, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. A body, which was burnt beyond recognition, was found in the car trunk.
Rodney’s mother, Jacqueline Hunter, told Kaieteur News that police officials revealed that numbers etched on the windshield match her son’s vehicle’s registration number, PRR 1076.
She said that today, DNA testing is to be conducted to confirm if the burnt remains belong to her son. Once the testing and a post mortem examination are conducted, the body will be handed over to the family.

Police sources said that the discovery of a warhead in the burnt vehicle indicates that Rodney was shot.
The gruesome discovery was made after an anonymous caller tipped off police that a car was on fire at the Letter ‘T’ backlands.
Upon arrival, police came across a badly burnt Toyota Allion.
A stench was emanating from the vehicle. On opening the trunk, the ranks came across the horrible sight of a corpse, which had been burnt beyond recognition.
Crime scene ranks from Georgetown also scoured the scene. They eventually assisted in placing the remains in a bag. The corpse was then taken to a funeral parlour.
Thirty-six-year-old Rodney of 70 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge and his silver grey Toyota Allion vanished on October 25.
He was a key witness, in the murder of his cousin, Marlon Seon Rodney, called ‘George’. Upon hearing of the police’s find, and suspicion that the remains may be her son, Hunter told this publication, “I can’t even begin to say how I feel,”
“If the body that was found is my son, I’m putting whoever that do it and everything in the hands of God. My son never harm anybody and they just take him and kill him. Whoever it is, I don’t know, but my son didn’t deserve that.”
Hunter had told Kaieteur News that her son had left home around 08:45 hrs on the day in question.
“He had to return to court to be cross-examined by the defendants in the matter. When he left home, I didn’t see what he was wearing because by the time I look outside, he was already in his car leaving.”
The woman added that during that morning, she had called her son three times and at all times, the call rang out, going to voicemail.
“Normally, I would go to court every time the matter is called. However, that day I had some errands to take care of. I asked Marlon’s mother what happened to the matter that day and she said it was put off until November 4.”
“I then asked her if she had seen Collin at court and she said no. Soon as she said that, I know something had happened to my son.”
The horrific discovery has also left Mrs. Hunter in a more fearful state for the family.
“I don’t want any other of my family to be involved in this. Let us leave it as that. My son’s evidence was just to say what his cousin told him. There was no intention to cause trouble.”
Thirty-nine-year-old Osafo Grundell, called ‘Safo’ from Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown and James Fraser, 21, called ‘Dab’ from Garnett Street, Georgetown are on remand before Senior Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
It is alleged that between April 25, and April 30, last, at Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, they murdered Marlon Seon Rodney, called ‘George’.
According to reports, Marlon Rodney, a 35-year-old taxi driver of Lot 71 Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was involved in an argument with Grundell, Fraser and another man called ‘Curl Up’.
The defendants reportedly pulled out guns and discharged several rounds at Marlon, who was hit in the left leg. A passerby, identified as 24-year-old Shaquille Dion, of Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge was also shot in the process.
The injured men were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where Dion was treated and sent away, while Marlon was admitted in a critical condition. He later succumbed to his injuries.
There matter will be recalled for continuation of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) today.

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