Prosecutor closes case, defendants to lead defence

POLICE Prosecutor, Inspector Neville Jeffers, on Monday closed his case in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Babita Sarjou.
Sarjou’s ex-husband, Sharnandand Narine, called ‘Anand’ of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, and Darel Pronton called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown, also in the city, are on remand for the woman’s murder.
Jeffers closed his case after the final witness, Renato Teodoro Ferreira de Paranaíba, a Brazilian Forensic Genetics Expert, testified before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, via Skype, with the aid of a Portuguese interpreter.
The expert’s testimony is based upon the DNA samples (previously sent over to Brazil) and which were taken from Sarjou’s remains.

Attorneys-at-law Ronald Trotman and Hubert Rodney are representing the two defendants.
The PI will continue today, October 17, with the two defendants leading their defence.
It is alleged that on November 4, 2010, Sarjou left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara home, informing her mother that she was going to meet her husband, Narine, and son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali motorcade. When she did not return home that night, her mother became worried and filed a missing person’s report.

After many months of searching and treating the case as a missing person, the case was eventually closed. However, in 2016, with the receipt of new information, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum re-opened the case, treating it in this instance as a homicide.
And, following new investigations into the matter, Sarjou’s estranged husband was further questioned and he subsequently led the investigating team to a shallow grave which had been dug in his own backyard.
Further probing also revealed that Narine had paid Pronton GY$50,000 and had promised him a trip to Trinidad if he killed Sarjou.