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Miss Harris was testifying under cross-examination at the High Court, where Steven Andrews and Roger Vyphuis are on trial for murdering the 70-year-old Dulcie Trim, who allegedly had been choked and robbed of $13,000 before being set alight, along with her house, on May 18, 2008. The alleged perpetrators of the act then ran away.
Cross-examination is spearheaded by Attorney-at-Law Mark Waldron, who succeeded Mr. Nigel Hughes in representing the number 2 accused, Roger Vyphuis, as Mr. Hughes has had to give up his brief in order to seek medical attention. In addition to Mr. Waldron, junior counsel Ms. Candacie Rodney is also representing Vyphuis.
The principal accused, Steven Andrews, is being represented by Ms. Sonia Parag.
In the absence of Mr. Hughes, Madame Justice Dawn Gregory, presiding over the trial, has recalled witnesses for the substitute lawyer, Mr. Waldron, to cross-examine. Waldron began his cross-examination by questioning Ms Joy Harris, who had admitted identifying the charred corpse of ‘Teacher Dolly’.
After persistent questioning, the woman admitted there was nothing on the charred corpse for her to base her identification on; and her identification had been based on what she had been told by the funeral parlour. She also conceded that she could not tell whether the corpse was that of a male or a female, a child or an adult.
Detectives were also cross-examined by Miss Sonia Parag in relation to her client Stephen Andrews, who was 17 at the time he had been charged. And one of the detectives mentioned that the charge against Andrews in the early stage was for burglary and robbery with violence, not for murder.
Ms Renita Singh and Ms. Diana Kaulesar are conducting the prosecution’s case. The hearing is continuing.
