Caution statement, soul and body of case, thrown out
JUSTICE Roxanne George, the presiding judge in the Providence murder trial who was conducting a voir dire to determine the admissibility of an alleged confession statement by the accused Nigel Forrester, yesterday rejected the statement.
Chief Investigator John, one of the nine witnesses who have testified so far, had earlier said that the statement was the soul and body of the case  and had agreed with a  suggestion by defence counsel, Mr. Basil Williams, that  if  the Caution Statement goes, the whole case topples.
Despite the opinion of the chief investigator, the Prosecutors, Miss Rhondel Weever and Miss Latchmie Rahamat, wanted to pursue a certain line which might result in the judge holding another voir dire (a trial within a trial) today.
The prosecution has set out to prove that accused Nigel Forrester of Providence, East Bank, Demerara, had murdered Providence businessman Mahadeo Budhai who was found dead in his backyard on the night of November 25, 2005.
The accused, who was said to be a helper and friend of the Budhais, was charged with murder.
He pleaded not guilty and his lawyer objected to the prosecution tendering a caution statement that was tantamount to a confession.
The alleged confession was thrown out.
A significant decision is likely to be made in the case today.