A MIXED 12-member jury was, on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, empanelled before Justice Brassington Reynolds, at the Demerara High Court, for the trial of two men accused of the 2014 murder of two sisters and their father.

Ganga Kishna called ‘Buddie’ and ‘Scientist’, a 74-year-old businessman, formerly of North Road, Bourda, Georgetown and his assistant, Avishkar Bissoon, 26, of Sheriff Street, Campbellsville, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the three charges.

Two charges stated that, on November 17, 2014, at Lot 65 King and Robb Street, Georgetown, the men murdered Clarissa, 14 and Tressa Rozario, 11 in the course or furtherance of an arson on their dwelling house.

The last charge stated that, on December 21, 2014, the men murdered 63-year-old Hilrod Attlee Thomas also called Rudolph Thomas.

The two accused were represented by Attorneys Mursaline Bacchus and Dexter Todd, while the state was represented by prosecutors Seeta Bishundial and Lisa Cave.

The prosecution is contending that, on November 17, 2014, at about 02:00 hours, Clarissa and Tressa Rozario were peacefully asleep at their Lot 65 King and Robb Street, Georgetown home along with their father, Thomas. It is alleged that while they were asleep their house was set afire, and they died in the inferno.

Their father managed to jump through a window to escape the flames but he sustained second and third-degree burns. On December 21, 2014, he succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The prosecution is claiming that Kishna was the mastermind behind the fire, while Bissoon acted as his assistant.

The Guyana Chronicle had previously reported that investigations in this matter took the police two years, then a drug addict reportedly confessed that he was offered money to set fire to the disputed building.

Police believe that the building was torched to drive out individuals who were also claiming ownership of the property by prescriptive rights.

The trial is expected to commence today (Wednesday, August 21, 2019) and a total of 19 witnesses are expected to testify.