The High Court trial of Shameer Mohamed came to an end yesterday afternoon after a jury found him not guilty of manslaughter in relation to the burning death of Munrajie Amza called Sandra.
Mohamed called ‘Pipe’ had pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on May 12, 2001 at Sisters Village on the West Bank of Demerara he unlawfully killed Amza by setting her alight after she doused her body with kerosene oil.
It was stated that on the day of the incident, Amza doused her body with the flammable substance after which Mohamed allegedly lit a match and threw it on her. In a dying declaration, Amza had reportedly stated that she was enticed to douse herself with kerosene oil by the accused to prove to him that she loved him.
As a result, the woman suffered severe burns to 70-80% of her body’s surface before dying a few days later.
The defence had argued that the incident stemmed from him refusing Amza’s offer to “tek she” after her husband broke up with her, adding that after declining the woman’s request, Amza doused her body and set herself alight while Mohamed struggled to extinguish the fire in an attempt to save the woman.
The matter was summed up for the jurors by Justice Priya Sewnarine- Beharry before they proceeded to the jury room where they deliberated for almost two and a half hours. Upon their return, they delivered a unanimous verdict of not guilty which was greeted with sighs of relief by Mohamed’s family who were seated in the gallery during the trial.
The case was presented by State Prosecutors Michael Shahoud and Orinthia Schmidt with a total of ten witnesses having testified.
