Bibi Sharima Gopaul and Jarvis Small yesterday made another appearance before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for the continuation of the Preliminary Inquiry into the murder of the woman’s teenage daughter Neesa Lalita Gopaul.
The matter was adjourned until January 10.
The PI is being heard by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
As the preliminary inquiry into the murder of the 16-year-old Queen’s College student continued, two other witnesses, Mitchell Caesar, a Detective Sergeant, and Hugh Jessemy, Detective Assistant Superintendant stationed at the Ruimvedlt Police Station and attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), took to the witness box yesterday and testified.
After Caesar concluded his testimony, he was cross-examined by attorney Bernard De Santos.
The PI lasted about two hours. The duo has been imprisoned over a year now.
The allegation against them is that between September 24 and October 2 at Madewini, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, Bibi Sharima Gopaul and Small, both of 13 Public Road Leonora, West Coast Demerara, murdered Neesa Lalita Gopaul.
The teenager’s body was stuffed into a suitcase, which was discovered by a group of picnickers on October 2 anchored in the creek at Emerald Tower Resort. Her head was bashed in so that her remains appeared headless.
The case evoked widespread public outrage and condemnation of those who failed to assist the teenager during a difficult period of abuse in varying forms prior to her death.