Cell phone records, video footage, PM report tendered as evidence

THE Post Mortem (PM) report of Babita Sarjou, her cell phone records from the Guyana

Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), along with video footage of investigators digging up her skeleton remains, was tendered into evidence Tuesday as the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into her murder continues at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Sarjou’s ex-husband, Sharnandand Narine, called ‘Anand’ of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown and Darel Ponton called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown are on remand for the woman’s murder.

Police Detective, Corporal Laundry tendered the call records from Sarjou’s phone which was given to him by the carrier, GTT. He also tendered the post mortem report which was compiled by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehal Singh.

Meanwhile Lance Corporal Orralan Alleyne, Crime Scene Technician attached to the Police Serious Crime Unit, testified and tendered video footage he took while Sarjou’s remains were being dug up by police in the yard of her ex-husband.

It is alleged that on November 4, 2010, Sarjou left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara home, informing her mother that she was going to meet her husband and son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali Motorcade. When she did not return home that night, her mother became worried and filed a missing person’s report.

After many months of searching and treating the case as a missing person, the case was closed. However in 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum reopened the case, treating it as a homicide, since new information had surfaced.

Following new investigations into the matter, Sarjou’s estranged husband was questioned, and he subsequently led the investigating team to the shallow grave of Babita Sarjou, which had been dug in his own backyard.

Investigations have also revealed that Narine had paid Ponton GY$50,000 and had promised him a trip to Trinidad if he killed Sarjou.