12-member jury empanelled for Corentyne murder trial

A 12-member jury was empanelled on Monday to hear the high-profile Tain pensioner murder trial, involving three Corentyne accused of killing an 82-year-old woman during a robbery at her home in 2020. The jury was empanelled at the Berbice Assizes to hear the murder trial of the three men accused of killing Tain pensioner, Chandarie Budhoo, nearly five years ago.

The accused, 35-year-old Dhannyram Ramdhanny, 29-year-old Kumar Bhagwandin, and 25-year-old Narvindra Chillu, appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon, where 12 jurors were selected to examine the evidence. When the indictment was read, all three accused pleaded not guilty to the charge that between June 16 and 17, 2020, they murdered Budhoo at her Lot 83 Tain Settlement home during what investigators believe was a robbery. Ramdhanny and Bhagwandin are being represented by Attorney-at-Law Kevin Morgan, while Chillu is represented by Attorney-at-Law Vinay Punwa. State Prosecutor Cicela Corbin will lead the case.
The prosecution is expected to call 12 witnesses, including 8 police officers. Justice Kissoon said he is anticipating that the trial will be completed in three days. The case will come up on December 8. Meanwhile, it had been reported that Budhoo, who was 82 at the time of her death, was found in her home following the attack in 2020, a crime that shocked the Tain community and prompted a months-long investigation leading to the arrest of the three men now facing trial.