Statements tendered in arson murders PI

The statements of 31 individuals have been tendered in the preliminary inquiry into the murder charges against Ganga Krishna and Avishkar Bissoon, who are accused of starting the fire at a Robb and King streets building that claimed the lives of a father and his two daughters.

The statements were tendered following a decision to have the preliminary inquiry into the charge of murder against the men handled by way of paper committal.

Also tendered into evidence were documents from the Guyana Fire Service and the form used to record information for an identification parade in favour of Krishna.

Ganga Krishna
Ganga Krishna
Avishkar Bissoon
Avishkar Bissoon

Krishna, 74, of Lot 11 North Road and Bissoon, 24, of Lot 1 Sheriff Street,  were in February charged with murdering Clarissa Rozario, 14; Theresa Rozario, 12; and Hilrod Thomas, 63, in the course or furtherance of arson in relation to a dwelling house, between November 16 and December 21, 2014.

At the commencement of the inquiry in July, the testimony of Rosemary Rozario, the mother of the deceased children, ended prematurely when she fainted on the witness stand. The decision was made then by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to have the matter be done by way of paper committal, with the only request from the defence attorneys being for statements to be handed over to them.

The matter has been adjourned to September 22 for continuation.

Clarissa and Theresa Rozario perished in the Robb and King streets fire on November 16, 2014, while their father sustained fatal injuries and died in hospital days later.

Thomas had jumped from the burning building, after he was unable to save his trapped children.

Thomas and his two daughters had lived in the top flat of the three-storey building, while other parts of the building were occupied by small businesses.