Freed: Dave Jacobs, now freed, is seen during his initial court appearance in January 2020
The recent acquittal of Dave Jacobs, who had been the accused in the January 3, 2020 murder of 43-year-old Loochan Kamaldeo, has been appealed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In its Notice of Appeal before the Court of Appeal, the DPP’s Office is requesting that the jury’s verdict of acquittal, which was returned at the trial Judge’s order, be set aside.
Facing trial at the Berbice High Court for the capital offence of murder, 22-year-old Dave Jacobs of Corriverton, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was freed on October 12 after the prosecution had closed its case and defence attorney Surihya Sabsook had submitted that a case had not been made against her client.
In that submission, Sabsook argued that there was not enough evidence to convict her client, and that he should not be called upon to lead a defence. Trial Judge Sandil Kissoon agreed with the defence, upheld the no-case submission, and consequently directed the jurors to return a formal verdict of not-guilty.
According to reports, Kamaldeo, who had lived at the Corriverton Market, and had been a watchman for roadside stallholders during the night while working as a porter by day, had been found in a pool of blood on January 3, 2020. Based on reports received, his body had been found in a curled position, and had had a wound to the left side chest. He was pronounced dead at the Skeldon Public Hospital.
Vendors at the market had reported that the late Kamaldeo had been put out of his home by his relatives, who had then locked the house and migrated. He had been living in the market, and had been described as a very friendly person. He had also been referred to as a well-known destitute. (G1)
