Jury frees Whim murder accused duo

A mixed jury on Monday freed the two accused on trial for murdering a Whim Village, Berbice businessman during the commission of a robbery in 2012.
Elton Haynes, 28, a former Policeman of Manchester Village, Corentyne and Carlton Akeem Bourne, 23, from Whim Village, ran out of the Berbice High Court after being set free on the murder charge, five years after they were arrested.
The duo was on trial for the November 7, 2012 murder of Winston Ragnauth, 57, called “Tony”, of Lot 2 Whim Public Road.
Haynes was represented by Attorney-at-Law Sasha Roberts of the Legal Aid Clinic while State-appointed Attorney Arud Gossai appeared for Bourne.
The State’s case was presented by Attorney-at-Law Tuana Hardy. According to the State’s case, the two men, back in November 2012, met at Liverpool Village, Corentyne and planned to break into Ragnauth’s business and rob him. Haynes, being armed with a dangerous weapon, then went to the premises of Ragnauth, who operated a beer garden and grocery store.
The State alleged that it was during the robbery that Ragnauth was killed. It had been alleged that although Haynes had physically killed Ragnauth by slashing his neck, Bourne was equally accountable.  The man’s body was discovered on November 7, 2012, at his home, after his grocery shop had been broken into.
Haynes was subsequently arrested after the incident and gave a statement to the Police relaying the identities of the persons who were involved and the sequence of events that transpired during the robbery. Bourne was arrested one year later.
The trial was presided over by Justice Sandil Kissoon.