AS the Robb Street granny murder trial continued in the High Court yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury, Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh and several other witnesses testified.Dr. Singh told the court that on July 6, 2011 he performed a post mortem on the body of 73-year-old Clementine Fiedtkou-Parris and the cause of death was perforation of the aorta and lungs due to gunshot wounds.

He disclosed that Fiedtkou-Parris’s body bore three gunshot wounds all of which exited the body and there was blood in her mouth and nostrils. The victim died quickly given the massive blood loss and there were no visible gunpowder residue on her clothes.

Dr. Singh noted that Fiedtkou-Parris was hit from the front from slightly above the entry which meant that the shooter would have had to be a bit taller than the deceased.

Duane Baggot who is attached to U-Mobile Cellular Inc. Digicel Guyana as the Internal Security Officer testified that on November 16, 2011 a request came from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) seeking the name and cell phone number of Orwin Hinds and this was provided to the then Commissioner of Police.

He told the court that he could not say when the number was activated or de-activated, but after three months if the number is inactive it would be recycled and given to another customer.

Sergeant Rodwell Sarabo was recalled to testify yesterday and was cross-examined by Defence Counsel George Thomas about his role when Orwin Hinds was arrested in 2011 and questioned at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Eve Leary.

He denied assaulting Orwin Hinds saying he had no interaction with the accused at that time.

After lunch when the state closed its case against the four accused, Cleon Hinds chose to lead his defence by remaining in the prisoner’s dock where he told his story.

He began from the time he was arrested while buying food at the Stabroek Market area in October 2011 after which he was taken to CID headquarters where he said he was beaten and had to endure shock treatment to sign a statement which was written by a police officer in the presence of others.

He explained that they told him he was wanted for questioning in relation to the murder of Fiedtkou-Parris but he denied the allegation. He added that blows began raining down on him when he told the police officers that, “Me ain’t signing nothing because I didn’t do anything.”

Cleon Hinds also told the court that prior to his arrest and imprisonment he did not know Kevin October and Roy Jacobs.

Orwin Hinds also led his defence standing in the prisoner’s dock where he gave his account from the time he was arrested and taken to CID Headquarters, Eve Leary. He recounted a tale of being subjected to a beating to sign a statement.

Orwin Hinds said he was in a lot of pain after he was slapped on his ears and hit on his head and could not bear the pain, that’s why he signed the statement which was told by one officer and written by another.

He said that on the night of the murder he was with his girlfriend at a birthday lime and is innocent of the crime because he was set up by the police.

Orin Hinds, called ‘Redman’, of Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, East Bank Demerara; Kevin October called ‘Troy’, of Second Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara; Cleon Hinds, and Roy Jacobs called ‘Chippie’ or ‘Black Boy’ of Evans Street, Charlestown, are on trial for the murder.

According to the indictment, the four men murdered Clementine Fiedtkou-Parris pursuant to an arrangement whereby money was to be passed from one person to another.
On the evening of June 30, 2011, two men went to Fiedtkou-Parris’s Robb Street home asking for ‘Auntie,’ a title by which she was called. They were directed up a side step and as Fiedtkou-Parris emerged from her bedroom, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot her several times to the upper part of her body.
The men then jumped into a waiting car while, the injured woman was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The trial continues today.

By Michel Outridge