A Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Sew Persaud, who was reportedly struck down last year August along the Diamond Public Road, commenced yesterday with evidence from two police witnesses.
The inquest, which is to determine if anyone is criminally liable for the death of Persaud, is being conducted in Georgetown by Magistrate Judy Latchman, who is presiding as the Coroner.
Sergeant Keith Conway, who is stationed at the Grove Police Station and attached to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as the subordinate officer-in-charge of crime, was the first to testify.
Conway told the court that on April 21, 2016, he received a report of a death by dangerous driving involving Persaud and Christopher Bose, of Triumph, the driver of motor car PFF 9802, on the Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara.
At about 2.03 pm on that day, Conway said, he was at Grove Police Station and Sergeant 20114 Davidson told Bose of the allegation against him and cautioned him.
When asked if he wished to give a statement, Conway said the accused answered yes.
As a result, Conway stated that the accused was taken into his office in the CID section at the Grove Police Station, where he gave a statement.
The statement was taken in the presence of Detective Con-stable Griffith and the accused signed his name to it, along with Conway and Griffith as witnesses.
The two-page statement was tendered and marked exhibit A1 and A2 by Magistrate Latchman and was later read by Conway.
Bose, who was present yesterday, declined to question Conway.
Meanwhile, Corporal Oladesi Johnson, who is stationed at the Brickdam Police Station, in the Traffic Department, also took to the stand and testified about examining Bose’s vehicle.
Johnson stated that on April 22, 2016, she went to Grove Police Station, where she met with Corporal Persaud, who gave her instructions. Based on the instructions she received, Johnson stated that she examined motor vehicle PFF 9802 in the presence of Bose. Subsequent to examining the vehicle, Johnson said that she recorded her findings on the vehicle defect sheet and gave the original to Bose and a copy to Corporal Persaud.
The sheet was then shown to the court and later marked exhibit B.
The inquest is scheduled to continue today.
