The murder trial of Police Corporal Sherwin Smith, who was indicted for the killing of drug counsellor Ralph Turpin in 2011, began yesterday in the High Court before a jury and Justice Brassington Reynolds.
The September 2011 killing occurred at a Stabroek Market food stand when Turpin went to the assistance of a woman who was being physically assaulted by a man.
State attorney Teshana Lake called her first witness to the stand yesterday afternoon and the woman testified to being present when Turpin was shot. The woman, in a statement, identified Smith as the person who shot Turpin.
However, defence attorney Glen Hanoman questioned her on another statement she had given to the police. Reading for the court, Hanoman said the witness reported that she saw an East Indian woman with a gun in her hand cursing Turpin, and when she had turned away she heard two gunshots ring out.
The witness chuckled in the courtroom at this declaration and Hanoman responded sharply: “This is not a laughing matter. Someone is sitting in that dock for this offence.”
“I didn’t say that part,” the woman replied, stating that she did recall giving that statement but not that she heard two gunshots ring out.
The trial was adjourned for today, and the witness will continue giving evidence in the hearing.
Turpin, the co-founder of the Infinity Rehabilitation Centre in Triumph, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital after sustaining two gunshot wounds to his head.
Smith was committed to stand trial in the High Court in 2013 by Magistrate Sueanna Lovell, who ruled in the Preliminary Inquiry that a prima facie case had been made out against him.
Smith had pleaded his innocence in the smaller court, saying: “I am innocent of the offence and would like to let the court know that the case against me is a cook-up to hide the true facts of the matter. As a result I will reserve my defence for the High Court.”
