Closing arguments were heard yesterday in the trial of Ryan Bacchus, called ‘Rattie,’ who is accused of killing Lakeram McKenzie, called ‘Rambo,’ during a robbery in 2006.
State Prosecutors, Renita Singh and Rhondel Weever closed their case yesterday and closing arguments were made by both them and defence attorney Ganesh Hira.
Justice Navindra Singh, who is presiding over the trial, will sum up the evidence in the case today, after which it will be handed over to the jury for deliberation.
McKenzie was gunned down in his backyard on December 6, 2006, when a band of men stormed his property at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara.
Bacchus had told police in a statement that he and four friends had planned to rob McKenzie, who was his boss. They then went, heavily armed, to the man’s home and carried out the robbery, carting off jewellery and cash, during which McKenzie was shot.
On Wednesday, a civilian witness testified that he responded to the scene of the robbery and fired shots at the robbers.
The witness told the court that he responded to the robbery that was being perpetrated against McKenzie, who was his neighbour. The witness testified that when the incident occurred, he was living about four houses away from McKenzie’s residence and had received information that McKenzie’s home was being robbed.
The witness said he went to McKenzie’s residence, where he saw the robbers and as a result he fired shots from his shotgun. He also stated that he shot one of the bandits in the process.
