A twelve member jury was empaneled on Wednesday in the High Court before Justice Navindra Singh for the trial of Christopher Da Silva, who is indicted for the murder of Rayaad Khan called ‘Rayaad Azeem Khan’ on June 28, 2012, at 17th Avenue Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

The State is being represented by prosecutors, Siand Dhurjon and Tuanna Hardy while the defence counsel is Maxwell McKay in association with Mark Waldron. In his opening, Prosecutor Dhurjon told the court that Da Silva, 23, murdered 17-year-old Khan of 737 Section ‘C’ Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, on June 28, 2012. A post mortem report revealed that Khan died of a single stab wound to the upper right chest which severed his artery and jugular. The cause of death was given as shock and hemorrhage due to a stab wound. Da Silva has been on remand at the Camp Street Prison since his arrest in 2012.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence and it is the duty of the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he murdered Khan. Several police witnesses testified on Wednesday after which there was a voir dire [a trail within a trial] to determine the admissibility of evidence in the trial. Detective Lance Corporal, Desmond Johnny, testified that he went to the scene and observed reddish spots which appeared to be blood on the roadway and took 13 photographs which was later tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial.

He added that he found a cap, one side pink slippers and a bunch of keys in the grass on 17th Avenue, Diamond, which were taken to Golden Grove Police Station for safe-keeping. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector, Howard Henry, testified that on June 28, 2012, at about 18:00hrs he went to Golden Grove Police Station to interview a prisoner in relation to a break and enter and larceny which happened in Kitty, Georgetown. While there he was told something by another rank and later identified the accused, who was in the court room as the suspect, who was pointed out to him.

Henry told the court that he put the allegation of murder to Da Saliva and he was cautioned when he said, “He attacked me and I tek a knife and juk he.” According to Henry, Da Silva made the oral statement in the presence of another rank and he was asked whether he want to put that in writing and he agreed.

Henry said Da Silva was taken to the CID office where he [Da Silva] elected him to pen his written statement, after which the accused was cautioned and subsequently affixed his signature on same.
At the time of the incident, Da Silva was 17-years-old. According to reports, Khan was going to pick up one of his cousins when he was confronted by Da Silva and a fight ensued, during which Khan was stabbed and left on the street with a gaping wound.

The fight reportedly started because of a female, who both youths had an interest in at that time. Da Silva was later apprehended by the police. Khan would have celebrated his 18th birthday the day after he was murdered.