JUSTICE Franklyn Holder and a mixed jury trying husband Vinood Balgobin for murder heard that his estranged wife, who had rented an expensive hotel room in 2013, was knifed to death while in bed.

When the judge heard the receptionist say that the pretty East Indian woman had requested a TV room, he enquired of her(receptionist) whether the room looked like a T.V.
She answered “No”, and explained that the room was equipped with a TV.
The receptionist then related that the rooms were rented for periods of three hours, six hours and 24 hours.
Some customers she said requested rooms with air conditioning units, while others preferred TV alone.
The woman, who turned out to be Maryann Sunita Nauth( now dead) had requested a TV room .
The girl was later found dead in bed and although the receptionist said that when the booking was done, the woman was alone, the police following investigations,instituted a charge of murder against her estranged husband, Balgobin.
The prosecution is hoping to prove its case on the basis of circumstantial evidence.
The receptionist said that when she returned to work the next day, she was told about the incident that had occurred.

During the night, a security guard, as a result of certain information that had reached him, entered Room 209. He found the lights on and the partly nude woman in bed with a knife stuck in her abdomen.
Prosecuting for the state are Ms. Teshana Lake, Ms. Orienthia Schmidt and Ms. Shawnette Austin.
Defence counsel is Mr. Compton Richardson. The accused Vinood Balgobin has pleaded not guilty.
Elizabeth Ramsammy said that on May 11, 2013, her son, the accused, left home for work, but up to nightfall he did not return, and she started to enquire about him.
According to her, he and his wife had been separated. Balgobin had been married about 13 years ago and had four children.
Receptionist Tanika Seecharran said that she collected $3,000. for the room, and directed her to Room 209.
The police, she said, had shown her a photograph of the woman which she identified as the person she had dealt with the day before.

(George Barclay)