By Jeune Bailey Van Keric

Murder accused Naresh  Ramjohn aka ‘Saddam’  walked out of the Berbice Assizes into the awaiting arms of relatives and friends a free man after  Justice Priya Sewnarine- Beharry ordered the mixed jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty in favour of the defence.

Ramjohn , 44 was accused of killing Anthony Samaroo on July 2, 2008 at Levi Dam, Mount Sinai, a squatting area on the eastern fringes of the  New Amsterdam township.

Ramjohn faced a murder retrial which was ordered by the Appellant Court. At his initial trial in 2014, the witnesses had supported the state’s case resulting in an unanimous verdict of guilty.

Defence attorney Arudranauth Gossai, in association with  Surihya Sabsook ,had submitted that the prosecution failed to present a case against the accused.They  highlighted  that the only evidence laid was that of an eyewitness who said he had seen the accused among others at the scene of the incident.

“The evidence revealed was that the accused was a mere bystander,” the defence lawyer reiterated.

Further, Gossai made reference to the particulars of the offence which stated that Ramjohn, in company with others ,had unlawfully killed Antony Samaroo. The lawyer noted that there was no evidence of a prearranged plan or a joint enterprise.

The case for the prosecution as stated by State Prosecutor Mondel Moore, was  on  July 2, 2008 , one Ryan Samaroo was walking along  Levi Dam when he was confronted by Ramjohn.

However, Samaroo did not respond ,but  as he continued walking, he  noticed his brother Tajepaul. After the siblings spoke for a few minutes, their attention was turned to the approaching  Ramjohn and his two brothers  who were armed with implements .

The Samaroo brothers , hurried home and woke the sleeping  Anthony Samaroo and informed him of what  had transpired.

Shortly afterwards the  brothers returned  to Levi Dam, where they were attacked. Ryan and Tajepaul Samaroo were able to escape. Ryan was standing some distance away, when  his  brother Anthony  was stabbed.

The  siblings  ran home and after informing their mother of the incident, they   returned to the scene where they saw Anthony Samaroo, aged 28 year , lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A subsequent post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of  death was due to shock and haemorrhage due to multiple stab wounds.

At the initial trial , the presiding Judge Navindra Singh had imposed a  55 and a half year jail term after listening to the evidence of Probation and Welfare officer Ms. Claudia Munroe who had revealed  that Ramjohn and Samaroo were associated in illegal activities, such as abusing drugs and thefts.

It was stated that such acts led to the offence.