Shallow grave murder: “Long Hair” asks court to overturn life sentence

A 51-year-old livestock farmer of Number 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, who was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment is appealing his case to the Court of Appeal. In a Notice of Appeal, the convict, among other things, argued that the trial Judge erred in rejecting a no-case submission made by his attorney-at-law.

In March, Munilall Sarjoo called “Long Hair” was found guilty by a jury of the August 2016 murder of Levan Chandrapaul, whose body was found in a shallow grave in No 68 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Following the verdict, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall sentenced the convicted killer to life imprisonment with the possibility of being eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years behind bars.
But even after the jury delivered its verdict, Sarjoo maintained his innocence.
“I give my life, I never expect this, I don’t know about this…God is here. This made me lose my family. Is best I take my life now, your Honour. I came back from America and I tried to improve my life. I never involved in no thieving or problem…everything is money, that guy went to Eve Leary and give a statement, I didn’t give a statement at Eve Leary, they set me up,” Sarjoo told the Judge.
He is now asking the Appeal Court to set aside his conviction and sentence. In court documents seen by this publication, his lawyer is contending that the trial Judge erred in law when she rejected the no-case submissions made at the close of the prosecution’s case and also at the end of the case for the defence.
The lawyer further contended that “the learned trial Judge erred in law when she failed to put to the jury and instruct the jury on the Turnbull guidelines on identification”.

According to defence counsel, Justice Morris-Ramlall again erred in law in saying to the jury that his client said nothing when he was cautioned by the Police, leaving the jury with the impression that his client was bound to deny the allegation put to him and that his failure to do so could be used against him.
Additionally, Sarjoo argued that the trial Judge failed to adequately put his defence to the jury for consideration. During the trial, the court heard that the now-dead man was last seen in the company of Sarjoo. Chandrapaul was murdered between August 22 and 26, 2016, and his body was found in a dried-up pond covered with sand. His cause of death was given as internal bleeding of the skull.
A Government pathologist had explained to the court that there were two fractures to the man’s skull with one being fragmented. Those injuries, the doctor noted, were consistent with someone being hit with a blunt instrument, thus suggesting that a piece of wood could have been used.
Among those who testified during the trial were the parents of the deceased; ranks of Police’s Major Crimes Investigations Unit; and a witness who saw the now dead man entering Sarjoo’s motor car on August 22, 2016. The prosecutor’s key witness was a fisherman of Number 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, who told the court that he had a conversation with Chandrapaul in front of his yard.
A few days later, the witness said that Chandrapaul’s body was found in a shallow grave in the backlands of Number 68 Village. At the time of the discovery, he was clad in the same clothes he was last seen wearing when he entered Sarjoo’s car. (G1)