…to know fate after probation reports

Two men who were charged with the murder of the watchman at Williamsburg, Corentryne Mandir in 2013, were on Thursday found guilty by a mixed jury.
The matter was heard before Justice Priya Sewnarine Beharry. Defence counsel: Mursaline Bacchus and Arundranauth Gossai have since requested probation reports on the background of their clients before sentencing.

Meanwhile, at the time of the killing, the accused Shivnarine Jainarine known as ‘Sammy’ or Samuel, now aged 24 years, and Ryan Persaud, called ‘K.K’, now 23 years old, were both teenagers. They had resided at Tain, Port Mourant, and Lot 26 Williamsburg, Rose Hall Town, both Corentyne locations respectively. Jainarine and Persaud were indicted for the murder of 61-year-old Jagdat Ramcharran, which was reportedly committed between January 6-7, 2013 at the Iskcon Hari Krishna Mandir at Block 6 Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, both men opted to make unsworn statements from the dock, where they maintained their innocence. Jainarine told the judge and the mixed jury that at the time of the incident, he was employed at PMU cane farm. On May 16, 2013, he said he was at his sister’s home, at 2:30pm, where a police officer picked him up, before taking him to the seaside where he was allegedly beaten. Thereafter, he was taken to the Rose Hall Town Police Outpost where he was asked to sign a paper, but after refusing, he alleged that a corporal assaulted him with his gun and hit him on the knee, forcing him to affix his signature on the paper. Following a murder charge on May 20, 2013, the accused claimed he was taken to the Black Bush Police Station lockups, where he spent three days, before being taken to the New Amsterdam Prison. He opined that the police ranks did not want the prison officials to observe the marks of violence about his body.

Meanwhile, co-accused Ryan Persaud, recounted that he was walking to church in Rose Hall Town, when a white Raum pulled alongside him. Looking into the vehicle, he saw, policemen Sam, Ragnauth, and Junior. It was Ragnauth who exited the vehicle; he recalled scrambling his shirt, while asking who killed the watchman at Haribol Temple. But, Persaud denied any knowledge of the offence and as a result was held by his shirt and marched to the Rose Hall Town Outpost where he was further grilled.

Still denying knowledge, Persaud said a gun was cranked at his head, and, being afraid, he signed the paper in the presence of his mother who was subsequently summoned to the station. Afterwards he was sent away, but was accosted by Ragnauth who told him he cannot go anywhere. Defence witnesses were Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus, who recalled conducting the Preliminary Inquiry, and Woman Sergeant Karen Tyndall, Subordinate Officer attached to Whim Police Station and keeper of the Station Diary.

In his opening address, State Prosecutor Mr. Mondel Moore, said, the now deceased watchman was conducting his duties at the mandir when the two accused, along with others broke and entered the place of worship and during the course of committing a burglary, unlawfully killed Jagdat, a father of two. His body was subsequently discovered by a worshipper who had to scale the locked gate after receiving no response from Jagdat.

The temple was ransacked and several items including a bell and a pair of gold slippers were missing. During the trial which was punctuated with a lengthy voir dire, several witnesses testified including the Hindu Priest Seoram Terat, Worshipper Liludhar Kishundial, the son of the deceased Rabindra Jagddat, along with several police witnesses, including ex police detective Ragnauth. In the meantime, a former co-accused Kevin Hintez had thrown in the towel in January and pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment.