Jury heard how Roslyn Rodney was knifed to death

Syfox murder trial begins
JUSTICE Roxanne George and a mixed jury at the Lennox Syfox murder trial yesterday heard how the accused allegedly knifed to death his reputed wife, Roslyn Rodney, on the night of August 19. 2005.
The deceased’s mother, Pauline Rodney, who is still testifying, had told the judge and jury that the accused was in the habit of beating his reputed wife.
This caused defence counsel, Mr. Bernard De Santos, S.C., to object to the line of examination by leading prosecutor, Miss Latchmie Rahamat, who is assisted by Miss Rhondel Weever.
The objection resulted in the judge holding a short ‘voir dire’ in the absence of the jury
In her opening address to the jury, Miss Rahamat said:  “It is alleged that on the 19th August, 2005, Lennox Syfox murdered Roslyn Rodney called Rosy and it is the prosecution’s burden to prove this to you beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution must provide you with enough evidence so that you feel sure that all the elements of the offence of murder are established. The elements to be provided are:
(1)  That it is the accused, Lennox Syfox, who inflicted injuries on the deceased;
(2)    That as a result of those injuries, Roslyn Rodney called Rosy, died;
(3)    That the deceased died within a year and a day of receiving those injuries;
(4)    That when the accused, Lennox Syfox inflicted the injuries, he intended to kill Roslyn – the deceased, or cause her grievous bodily harm; and
(5)    That the act of inflicting the injuries was not done in self defence, nor was it an accident, nor was there any provocation.”
According to the prosecutor, those ingredients can be proved either by direct evidence or through circumstantial evidence.
Direct evidence would be someone coming into court and say that they saw Lennox Syfox kill Roslyn Rodney called Rosy.
Circumstantial evidence, on the other hand, are pieces of evidence, like pieces of a picture puzzle; when you put them together, you can get a complete picture.
The prosecutor assured the jury that she would lead evidence to prove that on the 19th of August 2005, while the deceased Rosy was home in her bedroom, she called out to her mother Pauline Rodney telling her that the accused Lennox Syfox was at their fence.   When Pauline Rodney went to the window, she saw the accused over the fence, she then saw the accused moving away and then he flung his feet over the fence into her backyard. She also saw that he had a silver knife in his hand.
Pauline Rodney and the deceased, who was at the time carrying her 8 month old daughter in her arms, left the back bedroom and went into the hall to get the deceased’s father Vivian Rodney off the verandah when the accused Lennox Syfox appeared at the verandah door still holding the silver knife in his hand .
The accused then entered their home at lot 14 Public Road, Golden Grove, E.C.D. and with the silver knife in his hand he was jumping around on his toes.
Pauline Rodney had come to a halt, and had stretched out her arms as Lennox Syfox was still jumping around in front of her with the knife in his hand.   As he was moving it around in front of her, she kept moving backwards. The deceased Rosy was behind her mother’s back and while Pauline was moving backwards, the deceased too was moving backwards.
The deceased then escaped into the washroom while Lennox Syfox was left standing there with her mother Pauline, as he continued to move the knife around in front of her, then the accused made a sudden dash to the wash room door and Pauline immediately ran behind him.
When the accused got to Rosy, Pauline saw Lennox Syfox inflicted four slashing wounds and one stab wound to the neck of the deceased using the silver knife he had in his hand. Rosy died.
A post mortem examination was performed on the body of the deceased and the cause of death was given as perforation of blood vessels to the neck and lungs due to stab wounds.
The hearing continues today.

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