THE preliminary inquiry into the murder of former Queen’s College student Neesa Lalita Gopaul continued yesterday, with lawyer Vic Puran continuing to cross-examine two police officers in the presence of the girl’s two alleged killers. Puran is representing the mother of the deceased, Bibi Shareema Gopaul. He yesterday continued cross-examination of Assistant Superintendent of Police, Marlon Chapman, and Detective Sergeant Mitchell Caesar.
The case, in which Gopaul’s mother and step father, Jarvis Small are charged, is being heard by Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. Yesterday, it was adjourned to May 15.
At the inquiry last Tuesday, Puran had the opportunity to cross-examine two prosecution witnesses, Chapman, and Simone De Noberga. On the previous occasion, forensic analyst Lorraine Alleyne, from Barbados, was cross-examined by Puran.
Earlier, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, who is defending Small, had informed the court that he would not be cross-examining Alleyne or De Noberga, as their testimony relates only to the woman Gopaul.
Meanwhile, when the PI began on November 23, 2010, Lance Corporal Anourudh Bissoon, from the La Grange Police Station, West Bank Demerara, was the first to testify, and the second was Special Constable  Jennifer Sumrah from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of Leonora Police Station, West Coast Demerara.
The other witness who gave evidence yesterday was CID Detective Constable Keisha Douglas, also from La Grange Police Station.
On October 8, 2010, two days after Neesa’s funeral, her mother and stepfather appeared in court charged with her murder at Madewini Creek, in the vicinity of Emerald Tower Resort, on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, during the period of September 24 and October 2, 2010.
The body of Gopaul was found in a suitcase in the Madewini Creek on Saturday, October 2, 2010, and at the time was believed to be headless.
However, after a post mortem, it was revealed that the body was not headless, and that the head was clobbered beyond recognition.
Dumbbells similar to those found in a gym owned by Small were found tied to the suitcase in which the body was found.
Samples of what appeared to be blood and hair were taken from the residence of the victim’s  mother and taken to the Police Forensic Department for testing.