As the trial into the murder of Suresh Goberdhan over a pool game continues at the Demerara High Court, former Police Constable Reuel Paddy on Thursday testified.
Paddy said he witnessed the post-mortem on Goberdhan’s body (which was found at Dochfour, East Coast Demerara, on January 16, 2014 with multiple head injuries).
Suresh Goberdhan’s body was found in January 2014Davendra Rooplall is accused of murdering Suresh Goberdhan
The former Police Constable told the 12-member jury that the murdered man was dressed in a red jersey and black three-quarter pants at the time of his demise. The court also heard that Goberdhan’s father, Lakeram Goberdhan, and uncle, Balram Goberdhan, identified the body on January 20 of that year. It was explained that the two family members also witnessed the post-mortem performed by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh. The murdered man was buried the next day, on January 21.
Paddy also told the court that on February 20 that year, he went to Dr Singh’s office where he uplifted the post-mortem report, after which he lodged it at the Cove and John Police Station. The said report was later tendered as evidence in preliminary hearings at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court. On Thursday, Paddy was shown the report and he identified his signature and that of Dr Singh.
According to the prosecution’s case, after the murder accused Davendra Rooplall lost two games of pool, following heavy alcohol consumption, he, Goberdhan and another young man, Khemraj Persaud, headed to another rum shop on two bicycles. The eyewitness, Persaud, was on one bicycle, while Goberdhan and Rooplall were on the other.
The prosecution contends that on the way to Dochfour, the murder accused dismounted the bike and reportedly said: “I gan kill this (expletive) man, cause he win out me money.” At this point, it was related that the two other men laughed because they [supposedly] felt that Rooplall was joking.
It was in the midst of this laughter that the State believes the murder accused picked up a piece of steel, said to be three feet in length, and “lashed” Goberdhan to his head. The prosecution further contends that the accused then dragged Goberdhan to ‘Sea Dam’ and “lashed him more to his face”.
It is further believed that on the dam, Rooplall ran through Goberdhan’s pockets and stole his money and mobile phone, while Persaud shouted several times for the murder accused to “stop”.
At this point, a man who lived across the road, Orin Calendar, who also witnessed the ordeal, explained that he saw the incident from his verandah. Some time after, when threats were made to call the Police, Rooplall reportedly jumped onto his bicycle and fled the scene, while Persaud rode through Sea Dam. Calendar was said to have reported the matter to the Cove and John Police Station.
Rooplall, who has pleaded not guilty to the capital offence, is being represented by Attorney Sandhill Kissoon while the State Prosecutors are Siand Dhurjon and Shawnette Austin.
The trial continues next week Tuesday when the State’s final witness, Dr Nehaul Singh will be called to take the stand to testify to the injuries which Goberdhan suffered.
