– police sergeant testifies

WHEN the murder trial of Guyanese housewife, Tramangra Williams, called ‘Queenie’, who is accused of killing her Barbadian lover, Tyrone Best continued at the Demerara Assizes yesterday, a police sergeant told the court that ‘Queenie’ had confessed.

Sergeant Nolan Burnett, who took the statement from the 22-year-old mother of two in 2009, was testifying as a witness for the prosecution when he told Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed jury about the confession.
According to him the story began with the housewife saying what had happened on December 27, 2008, when she was seeking to purchase marijuana for Best.
However, she did not have any money to buy the drug and decided to borrow some money from her cousin Eon who lived in Albouystown.
Burnett said that ‘Queenie’ told him that Eon explained that he had no money then and she should return alone later.
Continuing, Burnett told the court that the woman subsequently told him that Best accused her of having a relationship with Eon and began slapping her and pulling up her clothes.
Burnett added, “Queenie’ told me that she had spoken to her grandmother about the way Best had treated her.”
‘Queenie’ said to him: “We were going home when Best told me that he was upset because I complain to Grannie. And he started to cuff and slap me and dragged me along the roadway to Albouystown. I went to Eon again and I told him that Best accused me of having an affair with him and that he was beating me.
“Whilst talking to Eon, Best left. I went to Georgetown Human Services Building at Hill Street to lodge a complaint about Best but it was a Saturday and the place was closed so I left and went home. Best was not at home when I arrived. So I started to prepare dinner for my children and I was also packing up Best suitcase to put him out.
“I was going to put Best suitcase in the verandah when I saw him standing on the front step smoking a cigarette. So I decide to bring his suitcase on the step.
“Best came into the house and asked for a roll of tissue – then a next argument escalate between me and Best. Then I told him that I was going to the Police Station to put him out of the house.
“At that point, I ran down the stairway and he kicked me and he picked up one of his shoes and pelt it in my face
“I had a knife in my hand, I turned around and I barely pushed the knife towards him and he got bore in his stomach. Best was crying that he was feeling cold. I carried him into the house and I placed some methylated spirits on the wound and I rushed him to Georgetown Hospital where he was treated and admitted a patient in Ward B 2. I used to visit him until he died.”

(By George Barclay)