Accused Ramsammy (only name) was yesterday cleared in the killing of his neighbour, Rabindranauth Rajkumar, after relatives of the deceased declined to offer evidence against him.
Resultantly, the 12-member jury empanelled to hear the case was directed by Justice Navindra Singh to formally return a verdict of not guilty in Ramsammy’s favour.
The indictment against Ramsammy, called ‘Laffie,’ was that on October 20, 2005, in the County of Demerara, he unlawfully killed Rajkumar, called ‘Black Eye.”
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Three of the five state witnesses, who are relatives of Rajkumar and who had witnessed the fatal altercation, all said they did not want to testify against the accused.
Rajkumar’s mother, brother and another relative all said from the witness box that the two families have good neighbourly relations and as a result they did not want to testify in the matter.
“I have an old saying that neighbours must live as family,” Rajkumar’s brother declared. When questioned by Prosecutor Narissa Leander whether anyone had forced or threatened them in any way not to testify, they all responded in the negative.
Asked if they understood that by not testifying the matter would come to an end, they said yes.
The other two witnesses in the matter were police officers.
In light of the positions taken by the witnesses, Leander informed the court that the prosecution would be unable to proceed with the case against the accused.
The trial Judge then formally directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.
Before informing Ramsammy that he was free to go, Justice Singh surmised that after 10 years he could only suppose that the accused had made peace with Rajkumar’s family.
“Make peace with yourself,” the judge further told Ramsammy, before adding, “Behave yourself and stay out of trouble.”
Ramsammy was represented by attorney George Thomas.
