BASIL Morgan, although freed on Monday of the 2009 murder of Wodette Roberts, was remanded to prison for other pending matters.

Justice James Bovell-Drakes told the Georgetown High Court on Monday that after reviewing the evidence presented in the case he recognised that the state had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Morgan unlawfully killed Roberts.

The judge however, directed the 12-man jury to return a unanimous not guilty verdict after which the foreman announced the same.

Justice Bovell-Drakes explained to the court that having reviewed the evidence he concluded that only one witness (Roopchand Gopaul) testified to seeing the accused at the scene and even the six police witnesses did not see Morgan kill the deceased.

He added that it was only Gopaul’s testimony that placed Morgan at the scene and gave an account of what transpired that time.

As such, the judge told Morgan that he was found not guilty and he was free to go. A visibly relieved Morgan uttered a “Thank You Judge” before he was led away to prison.

At this point, relatives of Morgan began clapping in the courtroom to the annoyance of the judge who told them to stop forthwith since the court was not the place to do that. He advised them to do it elsewhere.

The state alleged that between November 4 and 5, 2009 at Loo Creek Soesdyke/Linden Highway Morgan murdered Wodette Roberts.

Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who performed the post mortem on the body of Roberts gave the cause of death as asphyxiation due to bronco aspiration of the gastric content (lack of oxygen) compounded by compression injuries to the neck.

On November 4, 2009 Roberts left his home in a gold-coloured Toyota Tacoma pick-up along with two other men – Shawn Embleton and Roopchand Gopaul – when they were reportedly intercepted and abducted by eight men, dressed in black clothing and bullet proof vests, who claimed to be searching for arms and ammunition.

The armed men handcuffed Roberts and the others and placed them in the tray of the Tacoma pick-up and transported them to Dora. While the two others managed to escape, Roberts was later found dead.

The five men were initially charged jointly in 2009 for the murder of Wodette Roberts.

The state is being represented by Tuanna Hardy, Tameika Clarke and Seeta Bishundyal, while the defense attorney is Lyndon Amsterdam.