THE Houston murder trial in which Kevin Verwayne is accused of drowning his lover, Farida Ramdeen, called Suzy, because of jealousy is continuing with a voir dire (a trial within a trial) being conducted by Justice Navindra Singh in absence of the jury to determine the validity of an alleged confession statement.

The prosecution’s opening address to the jury detailed that the accused had told his friends in an oral statement that Farida Ramdeen had become unfaithful by taking men to his home while he was at work, and that he had taken her life by drowning her because he couldn’t take it anymore.

The prosecution, being conducted by Mrs. Judith Mursalin and Mr. Lloyd Mark Conway, was about to tender a written caution statement which the accused had given to the police when defence counsel, Mr. Melvyn Duke objected, contending that he had been instructed that the written statement had not been obtained in accordance with the Judge’s Rules.

(George Barclay)