The 12-member jury that was empaneled at the Demerara High Court to sit in the murder trial of young teacher, Kescia Branche, was, on Tuesday, discharged because the judge is presiding over another case and will thereafter be posted to Berbice.

Last month, the alleged killer, 51-year-old taxi driver Matthew Monroe, was arraigned before Justice Sandil Kissoon and pleaded not guilty to killing Branche on November 7, 2017 at Georgetown.

Before the trial could commence on Tuesday with testimony from some of the 43 witnesses, Justice Kissoon indicated that due to some time constraints, he would not be able to hear the case since the current sitting of the Demerara Assizes is almost finished.

The judge also told the court that he is currently presiding over another murder trial which he must complete before the session ends and come next month he will be sitting at the Berbice High Court.

As a result, he discharged the jury and further remanded Monroe to prison where he will remain until he can stand trial at the next practical sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

Branche, a mother of one, who resided in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, was last seen alive on November 4, 2017, when she left for a night out with her friends. She was found in an unconscious state in the vicinity of Princes Street and Louisa Row in the city the following day. Her left leg was broken and there was evidence that she had sustained multiple head injuries.

The Richard Ishmael Secondary School teacher died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) two days later. A post-mortem examination revealed that she died as a result of brain haemorrhage.

During the investigation, three suspects who were being questioned, were released. At the time of the trio’s release, the police were seeking to contact the taxi driver whose cell phone number appeared repeatedly on Branche’s mobile device.

The taxi driver’s car was impounded at the Brickdam Police Station, subsequent to his reported departure from the country, after Branche was found in an unconscious state. Investigators are of the opinion that the driver may have been the last person to see the teacher alive.