Police Constable Zameer Zakier was yesterday unable to produce to the court three pieces of a bullet and its fragments, which he said pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh extracted from the head of murder victim Carlisa Matthews.
Zakier told the trial of Jermaine Maynard, who is accused of murdering Matthews, his former girlfriend, that after making enquiries for the objects at the Brickdam Police Station, where the items had been lodged, he was told that they could not be found.
Maynard is on trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member mixed jury at the High Court in Georgetown. It is alleged that between December 31, 2013 and January 1, 2014, he murdered Matthews. He has pleaded not guilty to the indictment.
Zakier, who said he witnessed the post-mortem examination (PME) on January 3, 2014, recalled Dr. Singh extracting three pieces of metal from Matthew’s head, which he said the doctor handed over to him.
According to the witness, he later enveloped and sealed the objects, which he subsequently lodged at the Brickdam Police Station. He said he then retrieved and tendered them when he gave evidence during the preliminary inquiry into the charge at a Georgetown court.
He said they were then again lodged with the Sergeant-in-Charge at Brickdam. He told the court that he made repeated checks with the Sergeant on Tuesday, Wednesday and yesterday for the items but he was told they could not be found.
After Zakier’s revelation, Justice Singh sternly ordered him to make a report of the missing items to the police Office of Professional Responsibility.
Testifying also was ballistics expert Police Sergeant Eon Jackson, who recalled examining and analysing the pieces of metal removed from Matthews’ head. He said they comprised one fired .38 special bullet, which is a component of ammunition, along with a piece of lead and a piece of hard object.
He said that after his examination, he prepared a ballistic analysis report with his findings.
Prosecutor Michael Shahoud asked if it was possible for a .38 special revolver to be fired once and, after that initial shot, for there only to be clicking sounds when the trigger is squeezed but no gunshots. Jackson said it is. He explained that such an occurrence could result from the other chambers being without ammunition or where the ammunition is cold. The latter, he said, can be caused where either the shelf life of the ammunition has expired or where the primer becomes cold because air or water had gotten into it.
Jackson explained to the court that the primer is the centre of the ammunition, where the fire pin strikes to detonate the ammunition.
Asked if those types of revolvers eject casings when a bullet is fired, the ballistic expert said they do not. He explained that they have to be removed manually, by first ejecting the cylinder.
Matthew’s mother, Carol Kennedy, who said she witnessed her daughter being shot by Maynard, had previously testified also that after the initial shot to the back of her daughter’s head, Maynard kept the gun pointed over her and squeezed the trigger three more times but it did not go off.
Also testifying at yesterday’s hearing was former police constable Randy Hendricks. He recalled receiving certain information on January 1, 2014 and later detaining Maynard, who was about to board a boat at the Guyana/Suriname “backtrack” crossing at Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice.
He explained that crossing leads to Nickerie, Suriname.
The prosecution yesterday closed its case, after calling a total of 11 witnesses to the stand.
In leading his defence afterward, the accused opted to give an unsworn statement, in which he briefly declared that he did not shoot Matthews and was innocent of the charge.
Defence attorney Adrian Thompson indicated that they had no witnesses to call.
Both the prosecution and defence then presented closing addresses to the jury.
The trial continues this morning at 9, when the judge will sum up the case and hand it over to the jury for deliberation and the return of a verdict.
The state’s case is being presented by Shahoud in association with prosecutors Narissa Leander and Siand Dhurjon.
