…retrial ordered for accused Satnanand Sahadeo
A mixed jury trying murder accused Satnanand Sahadeo for murder last night disagreed on a verdict at the Demerara Assizes. As a consequence, the jury was discharged by the Presiding Judge, Mr. Justice Franklyn Holder. The judge has ordered a new trial for the accused who has been remanded to prison.
Satnanand Sahadeo was on trial for the murder of Vishnu Santie, who was shot to death in a robbery bid on June 29, 2006, at Stewartville, West Coast, Demerara.
Peter Ray Kassim, who was also charged with Sahadeo with Santie’s murder, had been freed earlier in the trial on a no-case submission by defence counsel Mr. Hukumchand, and granted by the trial judge..
Sahadeo was represented by Mr. George Thomas who failed to satisfy the jury that his client was not the mastermind, and did not play a significant part in the exercise.  The jury disagreed on a verdict.
Their disagreement was in the proportion of nine to three.
David Boucher, a special witness for the prosecution, had testified that on the night in question, he and others were drinking in the Stewartville pasture when they heard  a scream coming from the back street, followed by the sound of gun shots.   He realized that the sound had come from Santi’s residence.
Boucher said that he went into Santi’s yard  where he saw a chain which appeared to be  gold on the ground, and Vishnu Santi lying on the step, with his mother  and father around him.
Vishnu Santi, he said, was panting for breath and blood was running from his body. He later died.
Two men were charged with his murder. One was freed on a no-case submission.
The leading prosecutor was Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, in association with Miss Renita Singh