EIGHT years after businesswoman Sirmattie Ramnaress was murdered in her Diamond, East Bank Demerara home, her reputed husband and his alleged accomplice, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the gruesome crime.

Ex-policeman Colin Bailey and his co-accused, Colin Grant, appeared before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court where a 12-member jury was empanelled.

The duo denied the charge which read that, between August 30-31, 2013, in the county of Demerara, they murdered Ramnaress called “Sabo.”

The state’s case is being presented by prosecutors Latifah Elliot, Sarah Martin and Nafeeza Baig, while attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes and Dexter Todd are on record for the accused.

Trial will commence on Tuesday, October 12, with the testimony of a number of police and civilian witnesses.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that Ramnaress was found dead on the morning of August 31, 2013 with a stab wound and injuries to her head and body, in the garage of her Diamond home.

While petrol had been thrown all over her house, it was the bond at the back of the yard that was set alight and destroyed. The woman’s body was discovered after the fire service was called to the fire scene. Her attacker also removed the footage from the surveillance cameras that were located around the house.

The police suspected that Bailey who shared a 21-year relationship with the victim, was involved in her death. However, he had told police investigators that, at the time of his wife’s demise, he was on active duty and therefore had a solid alibi.

In 2015, the case was reopened after police arrested Grant. Grant alleged that he was paid by Bailey to kill Ramnaress and remove the footage from the surveillance cameras.

The police later charged both Grant and Bailey for the businesswoman’s murder.