THE MURDER trial in which the accused Kevin Rankin, called ‘Lil Man’, is before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury reached the stage yesterday in the High Court where closing submissions were made by both state and defence.Ranking is being tried for the alleged murder of his two-year-old niece, allegedly committed on October 21, 2013.

Defence Counsel Sandil Kissoon told the court that the prosecution’s case was unrepresented, since the accused has been charged with one of the most serious offences (murder), and up to closing, no police investigation was done to tell of the findings of the case, or whether the death of Kimani Phillips was ever treated as murder.

He added that the evidence so far presented by the prosecution was directed to obtain conviction by omission, because the police never visited the crime scene, nor did they interview any witnesses.

He further added that the police did not question neighbours, or take photos of the crime scene or the contents of the house in question, and no inquiry was made of how the child received injuries to the head.

But state prosecutor Narissa Leander, in closing, said the prosecution had proved that the accused was the person who had inflicted the injuries that caused the death of Kimani Phillips. She noted that the post-mortem report by Dr. Nehaul Singh had indicated that anal penetration and the multiple injuries to the abdomen happened at the same time.

She contended that the accused had inflicted the injuries with intent to kill the child, and she said the prosecution’s case was potent, overwhelming and compelling.

Leander said the witness Kiana Primo testified that she changed her statement in an effort to protect her favourite cousin, Kevin Rankin, and Leander asked the jury to consider the evidence before them, since they did not have a perfect case.

The judge’s summing-up will take place today at 11:15 am.

Three months after the incident, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended that Rankin be charged for murder, and he was re-arrested and arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court.

It was reported that Kimani was the victim of a brutal sexual assault (sodomy) after it was observed that her anus was enlarged and she had an old bite mark on her neck.

However, a post-mortem revealed that the two-year-old girl died from haemorrhage and shock due to multiple abdominal injuries.