A trial yesterday commenced in the High Court in Berbice after Munilall Sarjoo, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Levan Chanderpaul whose body was found buried in the Number 68 Village, Corentyne backdam in 2016.
Sarjoo called ‘baby’ or ‘long hair’ yesterday appeared before Justice Simone Morris- Ramlall where a jury was selected after which the trial commenced.
He is represented by Attorney at Law, Rodwell Jagmohan, while the state is being represented by Attorney at Law, Tuanna Hardy.
Chanderpaul, 26, a fisherman of Lot 116 Number 68 Village was found bound with chop wounds about his body on August 24, 2016, two days after he was reported missing. The discovery was made at the Number 68 Village backlands.
A post-mortem examination had revealed that Chanderpaul died after sustaining a fractured skull.
Sarjoo was arrested and later charged in 2017.
One of the witnesses yesterday, Sewaranee Chanderpaul, the mother of the deceased, said that she last saw her son around 6 pm on August 22, 2016, the day he went missing, as she recalled what garments he was wearing at that time.
According to the woman, initially they had thought that the young man was hiding out so as to avoid going to work but after several searches they decided to file a missing person’s report at the Springlands Police Station.
She said she was told by a couple in the area to go behind a house in the area as her son would be there. She then proceeded home where she told her husband the same which led to her husband and friends heading to the area to search.
However, the woman said, although her son did not leave home on his bicycle it was later found at the location where she was told to look for her son. “That day when he left home he didn’t have his bicycle with him, he walked and go out and I receive the bicycle by Nadie house.”
During cross-examination, the woman said, that her son would often visit the neighbour where his bicycle was discovered.
Based on questioning from the defence, she confirmed, that one neighbour had told her that her son stole his turkey. “Tarick (the neighbour) always tell me that he go done away with me son”, she said.
She also added, that when she returned home from filing the missing person’s report Tarick and his wife were leaving home when Tarick looked at her and laughed after which his wife told her to go behind Nadie house where she will find her son.
Jaikarran Mangal also known as ‘Tarick’ took the stand yesterday on behalf of the state where he told the court that he last saw Chanderpaul alive after he allegedly took a turkey. “Them say that he go a sea and me na get no transaction with he after da.”
He said he did not inflict any injuries on the deceased when asked specifically if he did by Prosecutor Hardy.
Attorney Jagmohan during cross-examination put to the witness that he had threatened the deceased. Mangal denied this.
The state yesterday called a total of ten witnesses including Chanderpaul’s parents, neighbours and investigating ranks.
The matter will continue next week.
