Odel Roberts is likely to know his fate tomorrow after a jury deliberates on the case against him for the 2015 murder of Sophia businessman Shawn Anys who police say was shot and killed by bandits.
The State closed its case yesterday afternoon which was subsequently followed by closing addresses to the jury by both the prosecution and defence.
Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry then informed that she will sum-up the case tomorrow and then hand it over to the jury for deliberation for the possible return of a verdict.
At his arraignment, Roberts pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleges that on May 1st, 2015, at ‘D’ Field, Sophia, he along with others murdered Anys during a robbery.
During the trial, the court had heard that Roberts’ girlfriend at the time told investigators that he had related to her being involved in the robbery at Anys’ home, but said that it was his accomplice who had done the shooting.
In his testimony, Detec-tive Inspector Suraj Singh had said that he held a confrontation with the accused and his then-girlfriend Ayanna Williams who related a story at the conclusion of which the accused just stared at her.
According to Singh, after Williams was escorted out of the room, it was then that Roberts uttered words to the effect, “I did call her (Ayanna) and tell her that me and meh partner went pun the wuk but is he shoot the man.”
Singh said he enquired from Roberts whether he would put what he had said into writing and sign to it but he refused, saying, “nah ah done tell yuh wah ah gaffa seh and me ain’t writing or signing to nothing.”
Singh had said that he then made subsequent attempts for Roberts to reveal who his accomplice was but the accused said that he had nothing to say and would be answering no question regarding any murder.
At the close of her case yesterday, Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken said that efforts to contact Williams, who was supposed to be called as a witness, were all unsuccessful.
Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh had testified that Anys died from multiple gunshot injuries.
The court had heard from the autopsy report that the man was shot once in the head, and twice in his chest.
