TWO more witnesses testified yesterday as the Cool Square murder trial continued before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury at the Demerara High Court.Leon Duncan, called “Whistle”, stands indicted for the alleged murder of city businessman Imtiaz Roopnarine, called “Bobby,” which allegedly occurred on January 24, 2013 at Cool Square Hotel in Marigold Street, West Ruimveldt Georgetown.

Detective Sergeant Rodwell Sarabo corroborated the testimony given by his colleague Suraj Singh, who had previously testified that he and Sarabo were present when a confrontation was held among the accused and his former girlfriend and her friend at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Eve Leary on May 1, 2013.

Sarabo said relative to a report of an alleged murder, he assisted in the investigations and contacted the accused, Leon Duncan, who told the police that he had gone to the then Edge night club with his former girlfriend, Tiana Cumberbatch, and her friend, Teneisha Tiffany Glasgow.

The police witness detailed that Duncan had said that he and the ladies had spent some time at the Edge night club, after which he and Cumberbatch went to the Cool Square Hotel, booked a room, had sex, and he borrowed a phone to make a call to someone.

Sarabo said the accused had also told investigators that, at about 05:30 hrs, Cumberbatch left the hotel after she had called her friend to pick her up in a taxi, and he was left standing by the gate of the hotel.

Duncan had reportedly told investigators that the only time he knew someone was murdered at the hotel was when he read it in the newspapers. The witness said that Duncan had said that he had nothing to do with that incident.

The State also called Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh to testify yesterday, and he gave the cause of Roopnarine’s death as gunshot injuries to the spine.

The pathologist said he had performed the post-mortem on Roopnarine on January 25, 2013.
Roopnarine, 47, of 208 Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, was reportedly robbed and shot in the head during the ordeal. The victim was said to be wearing several pieces of expensive jewellery at the time. He had run to the back of the hotel, where he collapsed and died near to a septic tank after being shot. Roopnarine had been preparing to leave the hotel moments before the incident.

The assailant reportedly escaped with a gold-and-diamond chain worth $500,000; one gold band worth $700,000, and other jewellery, all priced at a total of $2,200,000.

Duncan, of Willemstaad Road, Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was subsequently arrested and charged for the murder of Imtiaz Roopnarine. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury.

The case is being presented by State Prosecutors Stacey Goodings, Tuanna Hardy and Orinthia Schmidt; and the defence attorney is Mark Waldron. (Michel Outridge)