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Norton St Murder PI… Witness who says she knows murder accuse for 20 yrs fails to identify him in court
By Trishan Craig
After telling the court she has known murder accused Osafo Grundell called ‘Safo’, for two decades, a witness to the murder of Marlon Seon Rodney, called ‘George’, yesterday failed to identify the man in court.
Osafo Grundell called ‘Safo’
Collin Rodney
James Fraser called ‘Dab’
Police Prosecutor Dominic Bess, who is representing the state in this matter, asked the woman to identify Grundell in court.
At that time, the accused was sitting in the prisoner’s dock six feet away from the witness’s dock. Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty, who is presiding over the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), also failed to get the witness to identify the defendant.
But she did identify James Fraser, called ‘Dab’, who is also charged for the capital offence of murder.
Following a break in the court proceedings for lunch, the witness was recalled to continue giving evidence to the court. Once again as her evidence progressed, the prosecutor revisited his question for the woman to identify ‘Safo’ and for the second time, she looked around the room and said she did not see him in court.
The matter was adjourned to January 10, 2020 for continuation.
In light of the issues in having certain witnesses return to court to complete their testimony, Prosecutor Bess made a request that the defence be fully prepared to hear the extent of this witness’s testimony and cross-examination on the next occasion that the matter is called.
The torched remains of the car found
Rodney was shot and killed earlier this year. Grundell, 39, of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown; and Fraser, 21, of Garnett Street, Georgetown, are on remand for the murder.
The men are in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where the PI is being heard.
They were not allowed to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that between April 25, and April 30, last, at Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, they murdered Rodney.
Attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes, Mark Waldron and Ronald Daniels make up the defence council.
According to reports, Marlon Rodney, a 35-year-old taxi driver of 71 Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was involved in an argument with three individuals.
The men reportedly pulled out guns and discharged several rounds at Rodney, who was hit in the left leg. A passerby was also shot in the process.
The injured men were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, as was the passerby who was treated and sent away. Rodney was admitted in a critical condition. He later succumbed to his injuries.
On October 25, last, 36-year-old Collin Rodney of 70 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, went missing along with his silver grey Toyota Allion bearing registration number PRR 1076. He was the cousin of the deceased and also a key witness in relation to the murder.
One week after Collin Rodney went missing, the police made a gruesome find of the burnt remains of a body in the trunk of a car, which was found torched.
The discovery was made at a desolate and swampy area at Letter T backlands, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, an area that is surrounded by coconut estates and rice fields. This was after an anonymous caller contacted ranks at the Weldaad Police Station to say that a car was being torched at the location.
Police have since confirmed the chassis number on the burnt vehicle to be that of Rodney’s car. Following an “inconclusive” post mortem examination done on the remains found in the burnt car, the police are conducting DNA testing from samples taken from the corpse.
This is to be matched against samples taken from Rodney’s family members to be able to ascertain if the corpse is his.
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