WHEN the trial of two young men who are accused of the rape and murder of 9-year-old schoolgirl, Sade Stoby, continued on Tuesday, jury members heard that they would be shown a sketch of the scene allegedly made by Police Photographer Ewin Trotman.

Called as a witness, Trotman, who works as a crime scene investigation Police Photographer attached to the Crime Detection Lab at Eve Leary, testified that he had taken 16 photographs of the scene, and had also made a sketch of the scene. He said that in November 2007, he was stationed at Eve Leary in the same capacity. On Sunday, November 4, 2007, at about 8:30 hrs, he was the in-line Police Photographer who, as a result of instructions received, went to Sixth Field, Barnwell, North Mocha, East Bank, Demerara, where he met Detective Inspector Beard and ranks from ‘A’ Division.

He was accompanied by Lance Corporal Thompson from Eve Leary, and they were both briefed by Inspector Beard. He observed it to be an outdoor crime scene.

He added, “We were guided through some bushes which had mango trees, sucker plants and other shrubs to a trench, where I observed the body of a motionless female Negro in the said trench in an east/west position — the head east, feet west and spread apart. I then took several photographic exposures of the motionless body in the trench, after the body was identified as Sade Stoby. I took photographic exposures of the body with cameras which are assigned to me.

“The film was then taken to Police Photographic Branch, where the film was developed into negatives and photographs. The film and negatives and photographs were handed over to the subordinate officer in charge. I uplifted the said photos etc and brought same to court to tender.”

The prosecution is being conducted by Senior State counsel Mrs. Judith Mursalin, in association with lawyer Mr. Lloyd Mark Conway.
Attorneys-at-law Mr. Raymond Ali and Mr. George Thomas are defending the accused, as the hearing continues before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed jury.

(By George Barclay)