Gem George-Eastman, who was accused of murdering her husband by putting poison in his food, was set free yesterday after a no-case submission was upheld by Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court.
Justice Singh’s decision came moments after prosecutors Konyo Thompson and Renita Singh closed the state’s case after their main witness, Claudette Forde, was not present to give her testimony. Although they tried to admit Forde’s deposition, this was not permitted by Justice Singh, who said that Forde was the main witness in the trial whose evidence was the only evidence that linked the accused to the crime.
The prosecution’s case was that George-Eastman, of 111 Meadowbrook, and a mother of four, murdered her husband Aubrey Eastman in 2007 by feeding him small doses of poison until he died.
The judge also stated that Forde’s evidence was contradicted by the evidence of the other witnesses and as such it had to be tested under cross-examination. Since Forde’s absence would not give the defence the opportunity to test her evidence, Singh did not admit her statements.
Defence counsel Latchmie Rahamat said in her no-case submission that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against her client.
Prosecutor Singh then responded that she will be guided by the court’s decision. Justice Singh then told the court that indeed the prosecution had failed to establish evidence that George-Eastman had caused the death of her husband and upheld the no-case submission.
He then asked the twelve-member jury to return a verdict of not guilty and told George-Eastman upon dismissing her that only she, God and her husband knows what happened.
Shortly after being released, a smiling Eastman told this newspaper that she thanks God, who has been merciful to her and for her freedom since she was innocent of the crime.
