Judges throw out challenged statements in murder cases
JUSTICE Roxanne George-Wiltshire yesterday rejected, as evidence, a caution statement attributed to Squince Mc Lennon alias ‘Killer’ who is jointly indicted, with Trian Sumner, for the murder of Odinga Bryan.
The judge ruled after a voir dire (trial within a trial) to determine the admissibility of the attestation.
The two accused, being prosecuted by State Counsel Judith Girdharie-Mursalin are alleged to have unlawfully killed the victim at  Buxton Line Top, East Coast Demerara, on January  9, 2004.
The ruling followed the smaller trial triggered by an objection from Defence Counsel Basil Williams, who contended that the alleged confession was not obtained freely and voluntarily.
Justice George-Wiltshire held that there had not been full and frank disclosure to the Court by the Prosecution witnesses and favoured the Defence argument.
That case, which is also continuing, is the second murder case in which such a decision was given by the trial judge yesterday.
In the other, Justice William Ramlal, after a similar inquiry, decided that a caution statement, allegedly made by West Coast Demerara murder accused Hafeez Khan was not admissible.
That happened at the trial in which State Counsel Prithima Kissoon, Latchmie Rahamat and Rhondel Weever are prosecuting, opposite Defence Counsel Khemraj  Ramjattan.
Justice Ramlal found that there were too many inconsistencies and irregularities in the testimony related to the taking of the deposition.
The prisoner Khan facing an indictment for unlawfully killing Anthony Waldron nicknamed ‘Pumpkin’ on Sunday, February 22, 2004.
The crime is alleged to have been committed at a Lot 35 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, during which the victim was stabbed with a pair of scissors