Prosecutors in the Richard Stanton trial closed the State’s case on Wednesday, leaving Justice Brassington Reynolds to make certain determinations as the matter continues on Friday.
Even as a verdict in the matter looms, one of the final prosecution witnesses testified earlier this week that several of the exhibits in the Patricia Sanasie murder case had gone missing.
Stanton is accused of executing the woman three years ago in front of her Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara home. He is represented by Attorney Mark Waldron.
One of the investigators, Detective Constable Samuel Headley, testified on Tuesday that several of the exhibits which he had lodged at the Sparendaam Police Station after he had given evidence during the preliminary inquiry at the
magistrate’s court have gone missing. The jury was told that the ballistics report and two warheads which were removed from Sanasie’s body during a post-mortem examination cannot be located.
The Prosecution is contending that Stanton, of Princes Street, Lodge, shot and killed Sanasie at point blank range in front of her home on January 12, 2015. She was murdered in the presence of her daughter, who was driving their motorcar.
As the elder Sanasie exited her vehicle and was about to open her gate, she reportedly was confronted by a lone gunman, who discharged several rounds at her.
The daughter, Ramona Sanasie, told investigators that a “big built” man exited a
silver Toyota Raum, and she saw him twice as he passed and looked at her.
Sanasie was reportedly shot to her chest, abdomen and neck, among other areas, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The matter continues before Justice Reynolds later this week. Sanasie was the former Director of Studies at the Academy of Professional Studies. A year prior to the woman’s death, a similar attempt had been made on her husband’s life. In that instance, she and her brother had been implicated.