At Demerara Assizes…
A WITNESS for the Prosecution, at the murder trial of Ashanti Schultz alias ‘Blondie’, admitted yesterday that he had given contradictory evidence during his deposition at the preliminary inquiry (PI).

Police Detective Constable Elias, testifying under cross-examination at the Demerara Assizes, said, while he told Justice William Ramlal and the jury that he found three empty shells on the western carriageway of Main Street, Georgetown, in the vicinity of New Court Yard Restaurant and Bar, in the lower Court, he said the find was on the eastern carriageway.

He said he received three spent shells at the scene and sent them for ballistic examination although he could not recall recovering the murder weapon.

In further answers to Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes, the policeman also agreed he did not send the spent shells for fingerprint analysis.

He said a black dress taken from the accused on the night of the alleged killing was sent to the ballistics expert to test for gunpowder.

But, according to him, because he did not uplift the report, he could not tell what was the result.

Schultz is indicted for the unlawful killing of Kenrick Nero on September 16, 2007 and State Prosecutor Ganesh Hira indicated yesterday that he would be calling two more witnesses before closing his case.

Another witness, Police Sergeant Eon Jackson was laying the foundation to be deemed an expert when the judge ordered that he present his certificate today.

Police Constable Albert Sauers of Criminal Investigations Department, Brickdam, said he was at the location that night, in company with Detective Constable Kenton De Jonge and others.

The witness said, after an explosion, he saw De Jonge running from inside the building towards the gate and not from outside the gate to the inside as the latter had said.
The case continues today.