TWO murder accused on Wednesday were committed to stand trial at the next practical session of the Demerara Assizes.

Sylvester ‘Rambo’ Bristol, accused of murdering female taxi driver, Savitri Parma of Lot 4 Soesdyke Public Road, East Bank Demerara, had his preliminary inquiry (PI) commence on June 2, and the prosecution closed its case against the accused on Wednesday last.

Bristol was informed that a prima facie case had been made out against him, since there is enough evidence for the matter to be heard at the High Court.
The charge against Bristol details that between February 15 and 16 last, at Dakara Creek, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, he murdered taxi driver, Savitri Parma.
On Bristol’s first appearance before Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on February 19, the facts of the indictment were not read in court.
The 23-year-old labourer of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, was unrepresented during his trial at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts.
The matter was prosecuted by Police Corporal Bharat Mangru, and nineteen witnesses were called to testify on behalf of the prosecution.

Bristol was apprehended a short distance away from the crime scene, and was badly beaten by public-spirited citizens. Parma’s body was later discovered in a clump of bushes.

Based on information provided by Parma’s husband, she had called him on his phone at about 20.45hrs on the Sunday night of the incident, and had informed him that she had just dropped off someone at Buddy’s Farm, and someone else wanted to travel with her. She said the person looked like someone who worked at the pit.
Members of a search party found her eight-year old son in the back seat of the car. He was unhurt, but had slept through the fatal ordeal of his mother.

A prima facie case was also made out against minibus conductor Orin Kevin Roberts of Lot 3, ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, who has been accused of the 2011 murder of Robb Street, Georgetown Pharmacist, Harold Rachpaul of Rachpaul’s Drug Store.
Almost three years after the Robb Street pharmacist was found dead at his home, Roberts was held in relation to the matter through the working of the newly-acquired Automated Fingerprinting Identification System (AFIS).

He was not required to plead to the capital offence, and the charge detailed that between August 18 and 19, 2011, at Robb Street, Georgetown, he murdered 84-year-old Harold Rachpaul during the course of a robbery.
Roberts was represented by attorney-at-law, Mr. George Thomas.
Twelve witnesses were called by Police Prosecutor Mangru to testify on behalf of the prosecution. Among them were Rachpaul’s son, Leonard, and his grandson, Vincent; security guard, Ryan Kissoon, also known as “Dhal Belly”; Rachpaul’s neighbour, Ramchand Sukdeo; as well as Cadet Officer Mahadeo Singh.

On his first appearance in court, Police Inspector, Michael Grant, prosecuting at that time, did not reveal the prosecution’s case against the accused, but informed the court that it was through the use of the new fingerprinting technology that investigating ranks were able to pinpoint Roberts as the man who had committed the murder.

Rachpaul, a well-known pharmacy owner of Lot 75 Robb Street, Lacytown, was discovered murdered in his living quarters aback of his business place by relatives who had gone to open the premises.

Police said the victim’s body was found with his hands tied and mouth gagged with cloth. A post-mortem revealed that he had died of suffocation.