The prosecution on Friday closed its case in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the charge against Matthew Munroe, the taxi driver accused of murdering 22-year-old Kescia Branche.
Branche had been found in an unconscious state in the vicinity of Princes Street and Louisa Row, Georgetown, and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she died two days later.
According to presiding Magistrate Judy Latchman, Munroe will return to court on October 10, when his attorney is expected to make submissions.
Monroe is accused of murdering Branche, a teacher, on November 7, 2017 in Georgetown.
Attorney George Thomas, who is representing the 47-year-old Monroe, told the court that his client, who has been in custody since November 30, 2017, has denied committing the crime, and is holding out that he was not in the jurisdiction
Dead: Kescia Branche
at time the crime was committed.
In an attempt to form an alibi, Thomas claimed that his client’s mobile phone had been confiscated by the Police, and records can prove his claims.
The Prosecution is contending that the car from which Branche’s body was dumped reportedly belonged to Munroe. Upon receiving that bit of information, the Police immediately named Munroe as a person of interest. After spending some time in the United States, the man returned and presented himself to the Criminal Investigation Department in the company of his lawyer.
The Prosecution is contending that during interrogation, Munroe could not provide a proper alibi on the night the woman was brutally attacked; and more so, he failed to give Police information on his missing car bumper.
Twenty-two-year-old Branche, of Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, was discovered lying at the corner of Princes Street and Louisa Row in Georgetown on the morning of November 5. She died as a result of brain haemorrhaging and blunt force trauma.
According to reports, Branche had left home for a night of partying.
She left her three-year-old son in the care of a friend, who revealed that Branche
Murder accused: Matthew Munroe
told her she had intended to go to a popular night club to meet a male friend. She told her friend that she would be home by 02:00h, but she never returned home. She was last seen leaving a nightclub at Lamaha Street.
The father of the woman’s son was also arrested after the teacher’s mobile phone was found in his possession. He, along with four cops, were questioned about her death, but were all later released on station bail.
