A 28-year-old murder accused was freed yesterday after a judge upheld a no-case submission made by his attorney.
Deoram Persaud yesterday left the High Court in Georgetown a free man after Justice Jo-Ann Barlow upheld a no-case submission, which was made by his attorney, Latchmie Rahamat.
Persaud was accused of murdering a cane harvester, Deokumar Basdeo, between January 1st and January 2nd, 2016, at Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara. Basdeo, called “Buddy,” was left on the roadway in Cane Grove after a gang of seven men attacked him as he made his way home from a lime. It was reported that the men, using a piece of wood, dealt him several blows about his body, particularly to his head.
Persaud’s trial began yesterday and a total of five witnesses were called to the stand by prosecutor Shawnette Austin to give evidence.
When the state closed its case, Persaud’s attorney, Rahamat, told the court that there was no case against her client. The attorney said two eyewitnesses who would have presented evidence noted that they did not see her client attacking the deceased as it was dark and they could not have seen him. Rahamat further noted that there was no evidence of an identification parade being held.
Following the submission, which she upheld, Justice Barlow directed the 12-member mixed jury to return a verdict of not guilty.
