JUSTICE Navindra Singh yesterday directed a Demerara Assizes jury to set free Ravendra Seiw, called ‘Ravin’, on a charge of murdering his mother, after finding that the elements of the offence of murder had not been proved by the prosecution. The dramatic end came on the  2nd day of the trial yesterday after state prosecutor Latasha Lake, who had complained on the previous day about her inability to get the cooperation  of witnesses, announced that the  situation had not changed, resulting in the prosecution having to close its case at that stage.
Judge Singh noted that because the elements of murder had not been proved by the prosecution, as required by law, he could not legally call on the accused for a defence.
Therefore, he had no alternative than to direct the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty in favour of the accused.
On the direction of the judge, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty in favour of the accused who left the dock without haste and was  joined outside of the court by a female relative.
Ravendra Seiw was accused of having between the 19th and 20th   of July 2009 murdered his mother, Ramratty Deonauth, called Seiw.
Ravin had pleaded not guilty and was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Hymant Ramdhani.   
Latasha Lake conducted the case for the prosecution. She began her case by waiving her right to her opening address to the jury. Instead, she called as her first witness Corporal   Jerwaine Tyndall of Vigilance Police Station.
He recalled that on July 20,  2009, he, along with Constable   Persaud, as a result of information received, visited a house at 41 Croal Street, Enterprise, East Coast Demerara.
On arrival they were met by a crowd. On entering the house, they  went into a bedroom where they saw a female of East Indian descent, whose name they learnt to be Ramratty Deonauth, lying motionless on the ground.
He said that he also saw what appeared to be blood over the right eye and bruises on the face and left arm.
Based on information received, the witness contacted Ramdin and told him that it was alleged that he had assaulted his mother which resulted in her death.
The witness said that he cautioned the accused, who was later arrested and taken to the Vigilance Police Station.
The next witness called was Detective Sergeant, Denaise Adams.     He told the court about receiving a report about an alleged murder which led him and other policemen to visit Enterprise where they saw Ramratty in a building lying motionless on the floor. He found what appeared to be bruises about the body.
The witness told the accused about the allegation which resulted in the death of his mother. He denied that he ever beat her and refused to give a statement in writing, the witness said.
The last witness for the day was Marvin Richards who attended the post-mortem examination and told about the number of lacerations, fractures and other injuries found on the body of the woman by Dr. Nehaul Singh, who conducted the autopsy.
At the end of Monday’s Session Lake told the defence counsel   that she was hoping to call three other witnesses, one of whom has since died.
However, the trial ended dramatically yesterday.