Murder accused Ramchand Persaud, on trial for the fatal beating of another man in Lusignan in 2009, had told police that the deceased attempted to rob him and he hit him once to the head with a piece of wood.
This is according to Persaud’s caution statement, which was admitted into evidence when his trial continued yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury in the High Court.
Persaud is charged with the murder of Victor Antony Persaud, called “Tony,” who he is accused of beating to death in April, 2009, at Grassfield, Lusignan.
In his statement to the police, Persaud said he was walking home from a wedding house when Tony ran out from a dark corner of the street with a piece of wood in his hands. He said that Tony approached him and told him “give me everything you get in your pocket!” He said he refused and Tony tried to hit him with the wood. He added that he blocked the lash and took away the wood, which he used in turn to hit Persaud to his head.
The prosecution, led by state attorneys Renita Singh and Rhondel Weever, has presented four witnesses, including the accused’s brother, Premchand Persaud, in the trial so far and it is expected to present the remaining witnesses when the case continues today.
Police witness Denise Adams, who was one of the investigators in the case, also testified yesterday and was cross-examined by Persaud’s attorney, Latchmie Rahamat.
Under cross-examination, Adams admitted that he did not take the piece of wood and bicycle found at the crime scene to be tested for blood, human tissues or fingerprints. His explanation for not doing so was that the bicycle and wood were wet and fingerprints could not be uplifted from such surfaces.
Rahamat also asked Adams if he had known that the deceased was arrested for robbery prior to his death and he responded that he did not. Prosecutor Singh objected to the question when it was asked but the objection was overruled by Justice Singh because the question was relevant since the accused, in his caution statement, had stated that the man tried to rob him before he hit him.
