— #2 accused Satnandan faces murder indictment alone
JUSTICE Franklyn Holder, presiding in the Stewartville murder trial in which number one accused, Peter Ray Kassim, called “Donkey”, and number two accused, Satnandan Sahadeo, called ‘Boyso’, are indicted for the murder of Vishnu Santie, yesterday conducted a defence no-case submission and found insufficient evidence to convict Peter Ray Kassim for the offence of murder. Kassim, represented by Attorney-at-law Hukumchand, was consequently acquitted of the crime, while Satnandan Sahadeo was called on to lead a defence.
He elected to give an unsworn statement from the dock, which he did in presence of the jury. Sahadeo is being represented by Attorney–at-Law George Thomas.
The prosecution’s case, led by Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin associated with Miss Renita Singh, was that the two accused had, on June 29, 2005, robbed and murdered 34-year-old Vishnu Santie at his home at Stewartville, West Coast, Demerara.
Several shots rang out that day when Frank Santie, Vishnu’s father, rushed from his bedroom to see what had happened to his son. He found Vishnu bleeding profusely on the stairway of the home, and rushed him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Two bullets were extracted from Vishnu’s body in the post-mortem examination, both of which a police analyst testified were found to be fired from a gun which was an exhibit in that case.
Satnanand Sahadeo now stands alone, indicted for the murder of Vishnu Santie.