– as Police account of Room 10 opening differs from employees
Police Lance Corporal Dwayne McPherson who is attached to the crime lab at the Brickdam Police Station testified before Justice Sandhill Kissoon on Thursday, stating that he retrieved the blood-stained covering that was over the mattress on the bed of Room 10 where the South Central Hotel owner’s body was found. Bryan Leitch, who was said to be the last known person to stay in Room 10, is on trial for Joseph Jagdeo’s murder. Jagdeo’s body was found bound and gagged at the guesthouse on November 14, 2013. Lance Corporal McPherson told the 12-
Murdered South Road Hotelier, Joseph Jagdeo
member jury under re-examination by State Prosecutor Mandell Moore that he did not check the other rooms because he received information that Room 10 was the place of the alleged crime scene and that force was used to gain entry to the said room. However, this revelation contrasted that of two former employees attached to the South Central Hotel, who testified on Wednesday that they opened the door using the room’s key after gaining the key through the room’s window.
During Wednesday’s trial, former maintenance man, Wendell Eastman, called “Buxton”, testified that he had informed another worker, Patrick Wilson, called “Bullai” of the Jagdeo’s pet cat’s “strange behaivour.” After being told of the animal’s behaviour, Eastman said he climbed onto a shed and peered through the jalousie window and saw the key to Room 10 on the bed. He claimed that he took a pipe, pulled out the key and gave it to Wilson who opened the room. The maintenance man had testified that at this point, the cat ran into the room, ran back out and started meowing. He said he told Wilson: “Don’t go in.”
Wilson later testified and corroborated much of Eastman’s testimony, adding that after he opened the door of Room 10, he saw the body under the bed. He said he took out his cellphone and called the Police.
At Thursday’s trial, the Police witness also testified that he took photographs of the crime scene and noted that he put the covering in a plastic evidence bag. McPherson noted that while he saw the man’s mouth and hands were bound, he did not see any marks of violence on the body. The blood-stained sheet was shown to members of the jury.
The prosecution contends that Leitch committed the crime between November 13 and 14, 2013 at South Road, Georgetown. State Counsel Lisa Cave is assisting the prosecution’s case while Leitch is being represented by defence Attorneys Hewley Griffith and Lawrence Harris. Justice Kissoon adjourned the matter to Monday at 09:00h. (Shemuel Fanfair)
