-statements of two absent witnesses to be read to jury
JUSTICE Franklyn Holder presiding in the murder trial of Odinga Greene, called ‘Dingo’ yesterday ruled that the edited versions of depositions of two absent witnesses, who testified at the preliminary inquiry but are unavailable at this trial, will be read to the jury today.

Government Forensic Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh told the judge and jury that he had performed a post-mortem on the body of an unidentified decomposed female, in which it appeared to him that death was due to asphyxiation as a result of ligature strangulation.
This, he said, was due to the badly decomposed condition of the body, which was produced to him with hands missing, due to decomposition, he explained.
On resumption of the trial yesterday, State Prosecutors Mrs. Judith Mursalin and Miss Diana Kaulesar continued their application for the judge, at a voir dire (a trial within a trial), to grant permission under Section 95 of the Act for them to make depositions of absent witnesses available to the jury trial, once the requirements of the law are met.
And upon hearing application and addresses by counsel, including defence counsel Mr. Nigel Hughes, the judge decided that the requirements were met, and declared that the edited versions of the depositions would be read to the jury today.
Those witnesses who testified at the preliminary inquiry into this matter are Mosa George, who has migrated to the U.S.A., and Jenny Martin, mother of the deceased Nazaleene Mohamed, who is seriously ill at her Georgetown home.
Witnesses at the voir dire have given evidence to prove that Mosa George had left the country by aircraft, and has not returned; while they stated that Martin was bed-ridden, blind, and unable to attend court.
On the other hand, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who was deemed an expert, testified that on February 14, 2007, he performed the post-mortem on the unidentified body of a female. According to him, the hands and soft tissues of that body were missing due to decomposition.
The body was attired in a pair of discoloured shorts, a green underwear and a muddy tee shirt. There was a gold capped tooth in the mouth.
On external examination, there was a tattoo around the navel. The ankles were tied with a black rope. A tie was tightly tied around the neck, which might have caused the strangulation.
Gold earrings were found in the lobe of the ear. A part of the right ear was missing due to decomposition.
The prosecution is likely to close its case today.