Randolph Marques, one of the two men accused of killing Patsan Trading salesman Bharrat Ramcharan during a robbery last year, was committed to stand trial yesterday, while his co-accused was freed.
Marques, 20, and Kevin France, 26, were jointly charged last year with murdering Ramcharan, 57, who was gunned down during a robbery in front of Patsan Trading on the afternoon of April 24th, 2014.
When the preliminary inquiry into the charge against the men continued on Monday, the unrepresented Marques told presiding magistrate Judy Latchman that the identification parade that the police had set up was rigged.
However, Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt contended that there was no evidence to substantiate the claims made by Marques. He further urged the court to consider all the evidence presented by the prosecution, while adding that none of the testimony offered by the prosecution’s witnesses had been discredited.
Meanwhile, attorney James Bond urged the court to uphold a no-case submission for his client, France, while stating that the prosecution failed to prove the vital elements of the charge against the man.
When the proceedings were called once more yesterday, Magistrate Latchman stated that the court was satisfied that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Marques and, therefore, committed him to stand trial for the salesman’s murder at the next appropriate sitting of the Demerara Assizes.
When asked if he had anything to say in relation to the matter, Marques chose to remain silent and subsequently declined to provide witnesses on his behalf.
On the other hand, Magistrate Latchman contended that there was not enough evidence to establish a prima facie case against France for Ramcharan’s murder.
As a result, the case against France was discharged and he walked out of the court compound a free man.
The magistrate’s decision to have the case against France discharged was met with a loud sigh of relief from his relatives, who were seated in the courtroom. The elated France walked out of the courtroom with a smile on his face.
Ramcharan had collected millions in cash from customers and was parked across the street from his Sheriff and John Smith streets office when he was attacked by two men on a motorcycle. This publication was told that Ramcharan refused to part with his bag and ran toward the gate of the business, at which point the gunmen started shooting. They eventually chased Ramcharan into Patsan’s compound, where he was shot in the back. The two gunmen snatched the bag and rode off. Ramcharan had died before receiving medical attention.
