At Demerara Assizes…
PROSECUTION and Defence lawyers in the Cane Grove murder case at the Demerara Assizes were yesterday involved in perusing eight ‘Crime Books’ from Cove and John and Cane Grove Police Stations to ascertain whether or not the records implicated the accused, Mohan Ram Singh.

Justice William Ramlal, who is presiding in the case, was also involved in the perusal during the morning but he adjourned the proceedings, to today, giving Defence Counsel Glen Hanoman and State Prosecutor Sonia Joseph the opportunity to fully discuss the contents of the volumes and make copies of aspects on which they would address the Court on the resumption.

In her opening presentation, Joseph had said she would adduce evidence to prove that the accused unlawfully killed Dameshwar Mahadeo nicknamed ‘Bapo’ on October 13, 2004 at Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara.

The Prosecutor had also undertook to call the dead man’s widow, Vidyamati Ramai as an eyewitness to the fatal chopping.

But the judge granted a request for crime books following a Defence contention that the woman had her own axe to grind because her statement about witnessing the crime was made shortly before her son was released from prison.

The exhibits were produced and tendered by Police Detective Corporal Osman Semple but he was unable to locate the ‘Charge Book’ from Cove and John Station, which contained the names of suspects in the killing. (George Barclay)