Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:39 AM
Feb 10, 2016 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News
-police witness testifies
It was now dead fugitive Rolston ‘Saddam’ Morrison who called the getaway car after gunmen robbed and
terrorised land court judge, Nicola Pierre and her husband Mohamed Chand on July 9, last.
This is according to Detective Inspector Suraj Singh who took the stand yesterday, as the trial of the five men accused of carrying out the armed robbery continued in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
Singh is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary, and is attached to the Major Crimes Investigation Unit.
Premnauth Samaroo; Damien Millington, 22, of Lot 118 Caesar Street, Agricola; Nicholas Narine, 18, also of Caesar Street Agricola; Anthony David, 28, of 63 Hadfield Street, Stabroek and Warren Mc Kenzie, 22 of Lot 18 Brutus Street, Agricola, are jointly facing three charges, two for the offence of robbery under-arms committed on Pierre and her husband and another for the offence of discharging a loaded firearm at security guard, Ron Peters.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and are currently on remand.
Singh testified that David—the number four defendant—told him that the now dead Morrison had called him on the night of July 8, to pick him and others up after persons opened fire on them. He testified that David said that Morrison requested to be taken to Agricola.
The police witness stated that Anthony told him, “On the night of July 8, 2015, Saddam (Rolston Morrison) called me and tell me that they deh pun a wuk up in Montrose. And how people shooting at them. And that he want me to come and collect them.”
He went on to say that the defendant said to him, “So meh guh up and collect them and drop them to Agricola. Meh had to mek two trips and me aint get no money cause them tell me that they had to run away and leave the things.”
The police witness recalled that as David was speaking Detective Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mitchell Caesar immediately cautioned him. Singh informed the court that he watched ASP Caesar recording the conversation in his personal diary.
David refused to give a written statement to the police, the witness recounted.
Earlier on during his testimony, Singh stated that around 13:00hrs on July 16, 2015, ASP Caesar made contact with David who was being held in the holding area at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary. He added that in his presence, Caesar told David that he was continuing with investigations as it relates to the robbery under-arms committed on the judge and her husband on July 9, 2015, at Lot 2 Montrose, East Coast Demerara.
Singh added that Caesar also told the defendant that he acted in consort with others to commit the said robbery. According to the witness, the defendant exclaimed that he wanted to talk about what he knew about the robbery.
At the conclusion of his testimony, Detective Singh was cross-examined by Adrian Thompson, Attorney for David, Narine and Samaroo. Thompson suggested to Singh that David never told ASP Caesar anything. In response, the witness refuted the suggestion and maintained that those were the words uttered by the defendant to Caesar in his presence.
Special Prosecutor, Nigel Hughes declined to re-examine the witness.
IDENTIFIED BY SECURITY GUARD
Premnauth Samaroo, the number one defendant was positively identified by security guard Ron Peters during an identification (ID) parade held at the Beterverwagting Police Station.
This was the testimony of Police Constable Marvin Edwards who assisted with investigations pertaining to the armed robbery. Edwards said that at the time of the investigation he was stationed at the Sparendaam Police Station.
He recalled that on July 11, 2015, he witnessed the ID parade. The witness related that a Police Inspector contacted Samaroo and told him that he along with eight other men would be placed on an ID parade in relation to the robbery.
However, Edwards related that Peters was informed by the inspector that the person(s) who robbed the judge and her husband may or may not be on display.
After two minutes of viewing the ID parade, the witness testified that Peters pointed out Samaroo – who was standing in the eighth position – as one of the men who carried out the robbery.
Magistrate Zamilla Ally Seepaul thereafter, indicated that she would need some time to review evidence as it relates to oral confessions and caution statements given by the defendants before the court commences a Voir Dire (trial within a trial).
A Voir Dire will be done to ascertain whether the oral confessions and written statements were willingly or involuntarily given. It will also determine if they can be admitted as evidence in the trial.
This trial was adjourned until Friday.
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