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Feb 19, 2015 News
The post mortem examination which was conducted on the body of murdered Queen’s College student Neesa Gopaul revealed that the teen died as a result of multiple blunt traumas to the head.
That report was tendered as part of the evidence in the trial of Jarvis Barry Small and Bibi Shareema Gopaul yesterday. Small and Gopaul are indicted for the murder, which allegedly took place sometime between September 24 and October 2, 2010. On October, 2, 2010, the remains of the teenager were discovered in a creek along the Soesdkye /Linden Highway, days after she went missing.
The girl’s mother, Bibi, and her former lover, Small, were subsequently arrested and charged for the murder.
They are on trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed 12– member jury. Small is being represented by a team of lawyers including Glenn Hanoman, Bernard De Santos SC, Lyndon Amsterdam and Zanna Frank, while Gopaul is being represented by Attorney-at-Law, George Thomas.
State Prosecutors Diana Kaulesar, Mercedes Thompson and Stacy Gooding are presenting the case.
Yesterday after being deemed an expert in his field, Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh gave the court a detailed explanation into the Post Mortem, (PM) examination he conducted on the body in the presence of police officers and Mohamed Kayum, the victim’s grandfather, who identified the body by the clothing.
The Pathologist noted that the body was at an advanced stage of decomposition with total skin slippage. He said it was flaccid but there were no marks of violence seen from the neck to toes. The doctor went on to state that “hair was missing from the head, the top of the scalp was missing as well as both parietal bones, part of left occipital bone, entire left temporal bone, maxillary and mandibular bone”
In addition, he said that all the teen’s teeth were missing and on the left occipital bone (a saucer-shaped membrane bone situated at the back and lower part of the skull) there appeared to be a small fracture with subperiosteal haemorrhage, specimens of which were taken for histology (a study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues).
The doctor explained that there was no urine or bile available for testing, and swabs were not taken from the vagina or anus.
In his report, the doctor also outlined that the third right side rib and other internal organs were removed and given to the police for DNA testing.
Dr. Singh noted that based on his examination, the injuries were most likely inflicted by a blunt heavy instrument. The doctor explained that about 50% of the teen’s head was missing but the remainder of the cranium (part of the skull) was relatively decomposed.
Singh also detailed that the victim’s hymen was also ruptured which is indicative that she had been sexually active for sometime before the time of her death. He explained that the terms “flaccid and skin slippages” meant that the body had become soft and loose after it passed the period of rigor mortis (stiffness). He explained that the body was at a stage of decomposition which was causing the skin to peel off hence the term ‘skin slippage’.
The doctor was then shown the photographs which were taken at the PM exercise; the ten photos were previously admitted as part of the evidence in the trial. Dr Singh explained the images contained in nine of the photographs but noted that he could explain one of the images.
Under cross examination by Defence Counsel Glenn Hanoman, the witness pointed out that in his professional opinion the victim could have been dead for at least 36 -48 hours before the body was discovered. He noted too, that peeling of the skin is indicative that the body had been in the water for some time.
In response to a question by the Attorney, Dr. Singh explained that the evidence of multiple traumas suggests that it is not likely that the teen’s injuries could have been inflicted by “one blow.” He said that it was most likely that the victim was hit first on her left side. He indicated that the body bore massive fractures.
“Fractures of that magnitude would kill you,” Dr. Singh expressed.
After accepting that facial recognition was impossible, the witness stated that specimens were taken from the body and handed to Police forensic scientist, Steven Greaves for DNA testing. These included samples of the stomach, kidney and a portion of the victim’s rib.
Asked whether Gopaul’s grandfather had made any positive identification that the body was that of his granddaughter, the witness noted that the man had mentioned “something about the toes” but he checked and did not see any deformity with the victim’s toes.
The doctor also accepted that he could tell the age, ethnicity and name of the victim on his own; that information he said was given to him by the police. Further questioned about the types of tests which were conducted on the remains, Dr. Singh noted that a toxicology test could not have been conducted since there was very little blood in the victim’s body. In addition, the doctor explained that he did not test the stomach contents for poison since it was handed over to the police.
Asked whether any tests were conducted on particles taken from the victim’s genital area, Dr. Singh said that there was no need for such, since enzymes which make up matters such as semen would have already been dissolved and the area would be filled with bacteria.
Asked about the likelihood of a jaguar attacking the victim causing the injuries, the doctor said that the body would have likely been the target of fishes especially if it was partially submerged. He however, accepted that such injuries could have been caused by someone falling and hitting their head on a tree stump.
Police Forensic analyst, Steven Greaves told the court yesterday that he had collected samples from the corpse and from relatives of the deceased for the purpose of DNA testing.
The policeman said that he collected internal organs from the deceased (Neesa Gopaul) and swab samples from the accused Bibi Shareema Gopaul, the victim’s grandfather, Mohamed Kayum and her younger sister, Miraim.
However, a portion of Greaves’ evidence was “struck out” by Justice Singh based on objections from the defence. It was noted that the witness had not given certain information at the preliminary stage of the trial in the Magistrate’s Court and hence, it could be admitted into the High Court trial.
The witness went on to state that after collecting the samples, he took them to the Barbados Forensic Sciences center for testing. Greaves said that he handed them over to a DNA expert in Barbados but never collected them back, only the results. The trial continues tomorrow.
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