AFTER being in prison for five years and enduring two High Court hearings, Yougeshwar Dhanama walked out of the Berbice Assizes a freed man after the State offered no evidence to incriminate him in a crime committed in 2012.
Justice James Bovel Drakes ordered the mixed jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty in favour of murder accused Dhanama.
Last week, during an initial court hearing, Dhanama, who had been jointly indicted with his cousin Dharamraj Persaud , also known as “Chris”, had pleaded not guilty to the indictment which had stated that on April 29, 2012, in the County of Berbice, he murdered Saisnarine Persaud called “Suraj.”
His cousin awaits a probation report and his sentence is scheduled for next week. However, State Prosecutrix Orintha Schimdt had offered no evidence against the former accused, while the presiding Judge had adjourned hearings.
On resumption, Defence Attorney Tania Clement Warren submitted that the State had not presented any evidence and as such her client had nothing to defend. Subsequent to further submissions in the absence of the jury, the judge ruled in favour of the defence and ordered the jury to return a verdict in keeping with the direction.
Following the verdict, Dhanama thanked his attorney and officers of the court before exiting quickly with a lone relative in the courtroom.