Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 11, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News
A 12-member jury yesterday acquitted Rudolph Singh of the July 12, 2013 murder of Kevin Harrison, who was stabbed to death at Ideal Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara.
Singh, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Pamela DeSantos, thanked the jury after trial Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall informed him that he was free to go.
Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs, Narissa Leander and Seeta Bishundial presented the State’s case.
After some two hours of deliberation, the jury, through the forewoman, informed that they had arrived at a unanimous verdict for the capital offence of murder and also for the lesser count of manslaughter.
Reports indicate that Harrison was outside the Ideal Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home of his girlfriend, Omefa Atkinson, who was also the mother of Singh’s children.
People in the neighbourhood had said that the woman had gone to live with Harrison after he had returned from the interior a few days prior.
According to reports, the woman, who was accompanied by Harrison, returned to her home to pick up her two children, aged seven and four. It was then that an argument had reportedly broken out between the two men and this escalated into a fight, during which Harrison was wounded.
The injured man was rushed to the East Bank Demerara Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Singh fled the scene and was apprehended some five days after with a prepared statement.
In his defence, Singh had told the court that on the day in question his son had accompanied him to a nearby shop to charge his cellular phone and to watch a wrestling match.
According to Singh, while at the shop, he saw Atkinson and Harrison smoking cigarettes.
In his unsworn testimony, Singh told the court that Harrison rushed up to him and an argument ensued between them during which Harrison cuffed him.
He recounted that both of them fell to the ground and he managed to run to his home with his son.
He said that he went inside of the house to retrieve a cutlass to fend off a snake that he was told might have attacked his daughter.
Singh went on to tell the court that Harrison confronted him at the house and slammed him into a wall. He admitted that they ended up in another scuffle, but maintained that he did not know how Harrison sustained the fatal injury. Harrison swore that he was telling the truth and that he was merely defending himself, and if Harrison received any injuries it was by accident.
He also argued that it was Atkinson who had stabbed Harrison.
Earlier on in the trial Police Inspector Devon Lowe, Government Pathologist Nehaul Singh and Atkinson were among the witnesses called to testify by the State.
Inspector Lowe had testified to visiting the crime scene where he recovered two cutlasses and a small-handled brown knife. During his testimony, Inspector Lowe told the court that during the month of July 2015, he was a Corporal, stationed at the Timehri Police Station and attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
He testified that he was among a party of police who visited the crime scene where he saw a small brown-handled knife next to the body of Harrison – which was lying motionless on the ground – and two cutlasses some distance from the body.
Also testifying was Dr. Singh who recalled conducting a post mortem examination on the remains of Harrison. Dr Singh gave the cause of death as perforation of the lungs due to stab wounds.
He disclosed that the deceased sustained four incised wounds—including a fatal wound that could have been caused by the knife which was tendered during the trial.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
Mar 29, 2024
By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – After a series of outstanding performances in 2023, Tianna Springer, dubbed the ‘wonder girl’, is eagerly gearing up to compete in this year’s...Kaieteur News – Good Friday in Guyana is not what it used to be. The day has lost much of its solemnity. The one day... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – In the face of escalating global environmental challenges, water scarcity and... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]