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‘Gully side’ goes on trial for murder of Sophia shopkeeper
By Rehanna Ramsay
Kaieteur News – Odel Roberts called ‘Gully Side’ of ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown is currently on trial for the 2015 murder of shopkeeper, Shawn Anys.
Murder accused: Odel Roberts
His trial commenced yesterday morning before Justice Priya Sewnarine Beharry and a mixed 12-member jury at the Georgetown High Court.
The matter is being heard in a virtual setting with the accused joining the proceedings from the Georgetown Prison via zoom.
Roberts, has since pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleges that he murdered Anys during the course of a robbery on May 1, 2015.
According to the facts of the case, Anys of ‘D’ Field, Sophia who owned and managed a small grocery shop at his home, was confronted by the bandits just before 23:00 hours on the night in question.
The man was at home when he heard his dogs barking and decided to venture out of the house to investigate when he was confronted by two armed men who forced him into the house and shot him while demanding money and valuables.
The gunmen made off with $40,000 in cash along with jewellery.
Anys was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Murdered Shopkeeper: Shawn Anys
State Prosecutors, Tiffni Lyken and Nafeeza Baig, called at least four witnesses to testify in the trial yesterday. Among the witnesses who took the stand were the sons of the victim – who were reportedly at home when the shooting occurred. Shakeem Anys, who was 13 years old at the time of the incident, recalled that his father heard the dogs barking and went to check to see who was at the gate.
The witness claimed that moments later two armed men confronted his dad. He said one man was fully masked and the other was not wearing anything to cover his face. According to the witness, the gunmen appeared to be engaged in a confrontation with his father shortly before shots were heard.
The witness was later confronted with questions from attorney-at-law, Damien Da Silva, who is representing Roberts. Da Silva questioned the witness about what he saw on the night of the shooting.
The lawyer enquired from the witness whether he ever attended a police identification parade and pointed out the accused among the suspect placed on the parade.
Anys, in response, told the court that he did attend the parade but that he never identified the accused as one of the shooters.
Mark Anys, the victim’s other son also told the Court that he was at the family’s Sophia resident when he heard the gunshots.
He said that he did see what took place but found out shortly after it happened that his father was the victim of an armed robbery.
State Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, also testified in Court after he was deemed an expert in his field. Dr. Singh gave the victim‘s cause of death to be multiple gunshot injuries. He told the Court that Mr. Anys died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head and two in his chest.
Photographic exposures of the crime scene were also tendered into evidence by the Court.
Retired police detective and ballistics expert, Eon Jackson testified to examining the firearms and ammunition allegedly used in the shooting.
Jackson, who is currently attached to the forensic lab, testified to examining fired 9mm bullets, gun powder and a pistol.
Another police witness detective inspector, Suraj Singh, told the Court in his evidence that he was tasked with taking a caution statement from Roberts. The policemen testified to Roberts being processed at the Turkeyen Police Station where he was stationed in 2015.
During his testimony, the policeman recalled that Roberts had denied any involvement in the shooting and even at times refused to answer any questions posed by the investigating officers.
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