WHEN the Neesa Gopaul murder case continued yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed jury at the Demerara Assizes,a crime scene investigator related his inability to identify the body.

A passport, a bank book, and other documents bearing the name of Neesa Gopaul, a 16-year-old Queen’s College student, were found in a compartment of the suitcase with the body.
But in answer to cross-examination by lawyer, Mr. George Thomas, the crime scene investigator (CSI) disclosed that part of the head was missing and there was no nose nor hair for him to identify the body to be that of Neesa Gopaul.

However, two persons had later identified the body to be that of Neesa Gopaul prior to a post- mortem that was performed on the body by Dr. Nehaul Singh.
The 16-year- old Q.C. student was allegedly murdered in October, 2010.
Following police investigations, her mother, Bibi Gopaul, and her alleged paramour, Jarvis Small, were arrested and charged with murder.

Both of them have pleaded not guilty and are being represented by top lawyers in the country.
Senior Counsel Mr. Bernard De Santos,Mr. Glenn Hanoman, Mr. Linden Amsterdam and Miss Zanno Frank are representing Jarvis Small, while Lawyer Mr. George Thomas is representing the number two accused, Bibi Gopaul, the deceased’s mother.
Prosecuting for the state are Ms. Diana Kaulesar-O’Brien , Ms Mercedes Thompson and Ms. Stacy Goodings.
Corporal Hosanah, the CSI said that he was on duty when he received instructions to visit the scene; he left Eve Leary around 1.35pm and arrived at the Emerald Tower Resort about 3.45pm that day.
According to the witness, he and Constable George had travelled by bus.
Witness said that on arrival at the scene they had cordoned off the area.
Photographs were taken of the scene he said, but declared that some of the photographs had been spoiled.
In answer to questions, witness said that he was the only crime scene expert in the area that day.

He told how Lance Corporal Laundry cut a rope that was tied to the partly submerged suitcase that day and piloted the suitcase to his direction at the side of the creek.
He supported the story that was earlier told by Laundry about seeing the corpse’s left hand from elbow protruding from the suitcase.
Witness told Mr. Thomas that he examined the body but could not lift fingerprints because of the condition of the body. And he said that he could not identify the corpse since there was nothing for him to base his identification on.
However, he identified certain exhibits which he said were found in a compartment in the suitcase such as a sheet,, an extra large black gown and a passport which were found in a compartment of the suitcase.
The witness however admitted under cross-examination that certain aspects of evidence that he gave in the Magistrates Court during the preliminary inquiry were untrue; and that they differed from a part of what he said on Tuesday.
In answer to attorney Thomas, witness said that he did not see the dumbbells that day because they were under the water in the creek.
Witness denied a defence suggestion that the police were in possession of the dumbbells before that day

Witness also told counsel that it would be wrong to suggest that he (witness) had planted the dumbbells in the creek.
The hearing is continuing.