West Coast Demerara murder trial opens
THE judge and jury in the West Coast Demerara murder trial heard how Anthony Waldron, called ‘Pumpkin’, fell dead from a stab wound which was allegedly  inflicted with a scissors by his friend, accused Hafeez Khan.
Hafeez Khan, who pleaded not guilty at the trial which began at the Demerara Assizes on Tuesday, has denied making a confession as alleged by the prosecution.
And yesterday, the Judge, Justice William Ramlal, began conducting  a voir dire (a trial within a trial)  to determine the admissibility of an alleged  caution statement.
The incident occurred on Sunday , 22nd February, 2004, at approximately 9:00 a.m. when accused Hafeez Khan,  in company of , Anthony Waldron  and friends went to a home at 35 New Road, West Coast, Demerara.
There they met Rondon Lyte, a friend of the accused, Joycelyn Willis, the owner of the house, Omar Khan, the brother of the accused and other persons.
Prosecutor Prithima Kissoon, in her opening address to the jury, told them that on arrival, the accused informed Rondon Lyte that they had arrived from a barbecue which had taken place at Goed Fortuin on Saturday, 21st February, 2004.
While at the barbecue, the accused had a fight with Pumpkin.  Pumpkin, said the prosecutor, showed to Rondon Lyte what appeared to be a laceration or cut on his neck inflicted by the accused.  The friends of the accused subsequently left and the accused was left in the company of Pumpkin, Omar Khan, Rondon Lyte and Joycelyn Willis.  Rondon Lyte invited Pumpkin and the accused to have a drink of Vodka with him.
The accused, who had a bath, was wearing only a towel and vest and he started to taunt Pumpkin. When the accused failed to provoke a response from Pumpkin, he went into the kitchen and returned with a knife which he started  to wield and brandish in the face of Pumpkin.
According to the prosecutor, the concerned friends of Pumpkin, the accused,
Rondon Lyte and Joycelyn Willis, managed to persuade the accused to disarm himself.   However, when Joycelyn left briefly to go to her bedroom and Rondon Lyte left to go to the toilet, the accused and Pumpkin, who were left in the kitchen, started fighting.
Rondon Lyte, who ran from the toilet to part the two friends, will state that he was too late.  When he entered the kitchen he saw what appeared  to be blood splattered in the  kitchen.  He followed the trail from the kitchen to the verandah when he saw the deceased  lying on the lap of the accused and bleeding profusely.   A pair of what appeared to be a blood coated scissors was later found on the cupboard in the kitchen by Corporal Norma Dundas.  Pumpkin later died.
A post mortem conducted on the deceased by Dr. Nehaul Singh showed that the cause of death was shock and haemorrhage caused by two stab wounds to the neck inflicted by a sharp, pointed instrument.
Attorney-at-law, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan is appearing for the defence.  The hearing continues today.