By Michel Outridge
AFTER more than three hours of deliberations on Friday afternoon, the 12-member jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty in the trial of Alvin Semple who was charged with the 2011 murder of Anna Catherina resident Balram Teekaram during a home invasion.After the verdict was announced, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow told Semple that he was found not guilty of the offence and was being given a second chance to reform.
Justice Barlow said: “You know what your life has been so far and you are given a chance to go forward to do positive things and don’t end up back here again.”
The judge ordered that Semple be unshackled and released as he stood expressionless, before bolting from the courtroom with his father in tow.
The state prosecutors were Shawnette Austin and Tamieka Clarke while the defence counsel was Madan Kissoon.
According to reports, Teekaram and one of his two sons were at home when in the wee hours of the morning of April 13, 2011 three bandits entered their home and robbed them
Teekaram was shot and later succumbed from a gunshot injury to his eye.
The Route 32 minibus driver was rushed to hospital in a critical condition and was hooked up to a life-support machine before he died.
The robbers reportedly took away $700,000 in cash, a silver chain, a cellphone, some other jewels and an iPod from the Teekarams’ home.
Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh testified that Balram Teekaram died from cerebral haemorrhage due to gunshot injuries.
The trial saw several witnesses testifying, including the sons of the deceased via Skype and others.