MURDER accused Yougeshwar Shivdyal, who allegedly ‘danced and wined’ at a wedding house before beating to death Anil Persaud, who had objected to the immoral wining, was freed by a Demerara Assize jury yesterday.

Following the verdict, Justice Roxanne George, who in the summation of the evidence had told the jury of their right to find the accused guilty or not guilty, and to disagree on their findings, discharged Shivdyal by informing him that he was free to go.
Shivdyal walked away like a man in a hurry; he had been represented by Attorney-at-Law Peter Hugh.
In a statement from the dock, he said he had been beaten that night, and that he was not Persaud’s killer. His story, which was supported by one of the prosecution’s witnesses, was believed by the jury who found him not guilty.
One witness who had attended the wedding reception had testified that Anil Persaud, aka Bobby, had been dancing when trouble started after the accused Shivdyal went up to Bobby and started wining (back-balling) in front of him.
On seeing this, the now deceased Anil Persaud allegedly accosted the accused, and an argument ensued between them, during which Shivdyal is alleged to have used a knife to inflict injuries on Anil Persaud, who later died at the Georgetown Hospital.
Conducting the case for the prosecution was Miss Rhondel Weever, in association with Miss Natasha Backer. According to the prosecution, at time of the incident, the deceased Anil Persaud was 29 years old and lived at Bella Dam, Pouderoyen. At some time during the evening of March 1, 2009, the accused Shivdyal and the deceased Anil Persaud were at a wedding house at Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara.
Kushur Sureshpaul, called Bobby; Aril Persaud, brother of the deceased; and Mahendra Singh were also present at the said wedding house, and were witnesses in   the case.
The State’s case was that, while at the wedding house, Anil Persaud, aka Bobby, was dancing when the accused went and started to wine in front of him, whereupon the deceased accosted the accused and an incident occurred between them.  It is alleged that, at this stage, the accused used a knife and inflicted injuries on Anil Persaud.
Arvin Persaud then took his brother Anil Persaud to the Best Hospital, from where he was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital by ambulance.
Anil Persaud subsequently died at the Georgetown Hospital.