ORVIN Kevin Roberts walked out of the High Court a free man yesterday afternoon, when, after three hours of deliberation, a 12-member jury returned a not-guilty verdict in relation to the murder of 84-year-old pharmacist Harold Rachpaul, committed in 2011.In response, a seemingly relieved Roberts thanked trial judge Justice Navindra Singh, after being told that he was free to go. The accused also openly expressed gratitude to his attorney Nigel Hughes, who was not present in court.
Roberts was followed by his relatives, including his mother and sister, who all took turns at hugging him.
In the courtroom, the relatives of Rachpaul were very quiet and seemed to be in a state of shock.
It was alleged that between August 18 and 19, 2011, Roberts murdered Harold Rachpaul in the course or furtherance of a burglary committed at his Lot 74 Robb Street home, which also housed his drugstore.
Roberts was arrested three years after the murder.
Police witnesses testified that five prints were lifted from the inside of drawers of a safe which was in the drugstore, and that Roberts’s left index finger matched those prints retrieved at the crime scene.
When he led his defence on Thursday Roberts proclaimed his innocence, as he gave a detailed report from the time he was arrested and taken into custody.
