Almost a year after he was charged with manslaughter following the fatal mauling of a security guard by a pack of dogs, Ronny Totaram had the matter dismissed against him by Magistrate Yohannseh Cave for want of evidence.
The turn of events came over two weeks ago when the matter was called in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
A no-case submission had been made by the man’s attorney Khemraj Ramjattan and Stabroek News was told that the magistrate ruled that by virtue of the circumstances there was no evidence that Totaram was reckless or that there was any intention on his part that resulted in the death of the guard, Charles Roopchand.
Roopchand was mauled to death by a pack of dogs on the Ogle Airstrip Road on April 16 last as he made his way to a Cellink site in the area where he worked.
The magistrate in his ruling also pointed out that it was never actually proven that it was Totaram’s dogs that killed the man. It was under these circumstances that the case was dismissed.
Ramjattan had said in his no-case submission that no bloodstains were found on the mouths of his client’s dogs.
During the preliminary inquiry which began in June last year at least eight witnesses testified for the prosecution.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 6 am. Roopchand, a COPS security guard was dragged across a trench by a pack of dogs that ripped his throat and face apart in the process. Around the same time, two of the dogs attacked Desire London, a resident of the area during one of her routine morning walk. The woman was treated at the Georgetown hospital and sent home.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Roopchand died from asphyxiation and multiple wounds due to dog bites.
Police arrested Totaram shortly after the attack and captured nine dogs said to be involved. Several belonged to Totaram. Three days later he was released on $100,000 station bail after the Director of Public Prosecutions advised the police that more statements were needed to complete the file before charges could be laid.
Almost one week later Totaram appeared before Magistrate Cave to face a manslaughter charge. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was released on $100,000 bail following submissions by Ramjattan.
