Assistant Superintendent of Police Joel David yesterday testified that Shakir Mohamed, who is on trial for the murder of Shewraney Doobay, had told investigators that the woman was killed by her now dead nephew Mark Singh.
Mohamed is on trial before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a 12-member jury, for allegedly murdering Doobay, called “Monica,” in the course or furtherance of a robbery on May 24, 2011.
He has denied the charge.
Mohamed had been jointly charged with Singh, but the latter died in hospital on January 4, 2012.
At the continuation of the trial before Justice Reynolds and a 12-member jury, David read Mohamed’s caution statement, which was tendered and admitted into evidence as an exhibit.
The Assistant Superintendent said he had cautioned the accused before writing his statement, which he said was given freely and voluntarily.
According to the statement, dated May 31, 2011, after reading a statement given by his former co-accused, Mohamed had told investigators that Singh’s story was not what “really happened.”
Mohamed said that about two weeks before the murder, Singh told him that his aunt had him paying her rates and taxes; “and like that get into he and he plan fuh kill she,” the statement said.
It read that on the Tuesday before the murder, Singh had told Mohamed, a taxi driver, that he wanted to be dropped off at his aunt’s to give her some money.
Mohamed transported Singh, David read, but Singh told him to park away from the woman’s residence which he did, after which they walked to house.
According to the statement, Mohamed said Singh had a hammer wrapped up in a black plastic bag and when they got to the house, Shewraney Doobay opened the kitchen door and let them in.
They told her they were hungry, the statement said, but she said she had not cooked; they were offered sandwiches and drink.
According to the statement, Mohamed said the woman made three sandwiches; “with cheese, jam and butter I think.” He was given one, Singh one; and the third was for a friend of Singh’s who was at work.
At this point, Mohamed said in the statement, Doobay’s sister who resides in England called, and they had to leave.
According to the statement, Mohamed said they began walking out of the house; he was in front, and Singh behind, when (Singh), took the hammer and “lash she one good set ah lash to…she head.” The woman screamed once, David read from the statement, and Singh lashed her once more and she fell on him (Mohamed), who then eased her down on the kitchen floor; at which point she was still moving.
The court further heard from the statement that Mohamed said Singh dealt the woman a final blow to the head with the hammer, after which she stopped moving.
According to the statement, Mohamed said Singh then told him to remain there with his aunt, while he quickly rushed into the sitting room area where he spent some time, before returning with a bag containing something.
According to the statement, Mohamed said that Singh did not show him what was in the bag; “but I think is money, because he didn’t had none; and when we reach at the ‘flat shop’ at Success, East Coast Demerara, he pay off the bill. He tell me he gon deal with me later; but I din know if duh de mean fuh gee me money, or kill me.”
According to the statement, Mohamed said that when they left Doobay’s house, they went to Stone Avenue and an adjoining street running east to west, where he saw Singh throw the black bag with the hammer in the intersecting gutter.
The court finally heard from the reading of the statement, that Mohamed said that after he and Singh got to the flat shop, they began drinking and Singh called and left a message on his aunt’s answering machine “saying that de boy fuh de sandwich seh thanks for it.”
According to the statement, Mohamed said “he ain’t gee me no money nor gold.”
Also testifying at yesterday’s hearing was Dr Ramsundar Doobay, husband of the deceased, who recalled discovering his wife’s motionless body on the kitchen floor of their home.
The trial continues this morning at 9 when the prosecution is expected to call its final witness to the stand.
On April 9, police witness Morgan Chalmers, who was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Brickdam Police Station in 2011, recalled that investigators had found a black plastic bag containing the claw hammer in a gutter in the vicinity of the deceased’s home.
He had testified that Mohamed, who was present at the search, pointed to a spot in the drain, after which a police officer went in. After about 5 minutes of searching, the officer retrieved the black plastic bag that contained the hammer.
Chalmers had said that after cautioning Mohamed, in accordance with the judge’s rules, the man replied, “This is the hammer.”
The witness had also testified that Singh was also present when the hammer was found.
Chalmers told the court that after the bag was found, he asked both men if that was the bag and they nodded their heads up and down, “to mean yes.”
Doobay, 58, was killed in her Echilibar Villas, Campbellville home.
A post-mortem examination conducted by pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh revealed that she died as a result of eight wounds inflicted to her head.
According to reports, the woman’s battered body was discovered in her kitchen lying in a pool of blood. She had been struck repeatedly in the head with a blunt instrument.
Mohamed is represented by attorneys Jainarine Singh and Moti Singh.
Meanwhile, the state’s case is presented by Prosecutor Mercedes Thompson who appears in association with attorney Orintha Schmidt.
