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Duo found guilty of 2018 Bourda cheese vendor murder
Kaieteur News- The two men, who were accused of killing Troy Ramalho, a cheese vendor in 2018, were found guilty by the High Court on January 31, 2025 and will be sentenced on March 5, 2025.
Thirty-seven-year-old Royce Sandiford, a labourer, and 31-year-old Akeem Morris, a miner, were charged with murder during the course of a robbery. The killing occurred on August 15, 2018, on Robb Street, Bourda, Lacytown.
(From left) Royce Sandiford and Akeem Morris were found guilty of murder.
The trial started on January 22, 2025 and ended on January 31, 2025. After five hours of deliberations on January 31, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict for both men.
Morris was arrested on August 26, 2018, while Royce Sandiford was arrested a few days later, on September 1, 2018. An identification parade held at the Brickdam Police Station on September 5, 2018, led to the positive identification of Sandiford as one of the individuals involved in the crime.
Both Morris and Sandiford were identified by an eyewitness. As a result, they were charged with the offence and remanded to prison. Two other persons, Nya John and George Paton, were also charged in connection with Ramalho’s murder.
John’s charge was discharged after a successful No Case Submission while Paton, a taxi driver pled guilty.
According to the facts, on the night of the incident, around 23:05 hrs. Ramalho had just finished his work at his stall when he was approached by Morris, Sandiford, and John. Sandiford pulled out a gun, pointed it at Ramalho, and instructed him not to move. He then shot Ramalho, who fell to the ground. John fled the scene, but Sandiford used obscene language to call him back. Meanwhile, Morris took the three gold rings and chains Ramalho was wearing. The trio then fled the scene in a getaway car driven by Paton.
During the trial, Morris’ defence lawyer, Kishwana Jefford, argued that the identification parade was conducted unfairly and claimed that Morris was being victimized by police officers after he was arrested for another murder in February, 2018.
She stated that Morris himself testified in an unsworn statement, stating that on the night of the murder, he was at home with his one-year-old daughter and had no knowledge of the crime. The prosecution argued that this was the first time Morris had provided specific details about his defence. They also stated that one of the accused had provided information to the police, implicating both him and Sandiford. Surveillance footage from the scene also captured both men walking toward Ramalho’s stall and running away after the robbery.
Sandiford’s defence attorney, Dexter Todd, also argued that his client’s identification parade was unfair. However, the prosecution presented evidence that the proper procedures were followed. Sandiford’s defence also suggested that he was being wrongly identified by an eyewitness with whom he had a prior altercation.
Sandiford also presented two witnesses, Eon Grant and Trevor Bentham, who testified that Sandiford was at a Superbet shop at James and Victoria Streets, Albouystown on the night of the murder.
However, under cross-examination, both witnesses admitted they had never reported this information to the police or in the magistrates’ court. Furthermore, they claimed to have perfect recall of the events but struggled to provide details consistent with their previous statements. Sandiford also claimed that his parents and aunt had attempted to retrieve surveillance footage to support his alibi, but they were unsuccessful.
The prosecution, led by State Counsel Christopher Belfield and Muntaz Ali, successfully argued that the evidence against the accused was compelling, including the positive identification by witnesses and surveillance footage.
Defense attorneys for Morris and Sandiford included Kiswana Jefford and Nigel Hughes for Akeem Morris, and Dexter Todd and Excellence Dazzell for Royce Sandiford.
(Duo found guilty of 2018 Bourda cheese vendor murder)
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