Spent shell exhibits vanish from police possession

– as interrogators claim accused verbally admitted to crime

It was a long day of witnesses testifying at the High Court on Monday, but one of the major revelations came during the afternoon session when former Police Inspector and ballistics expert Eon Jackson revealed that he was unsuccessful in his attempts to locate several would-be exhibits.
These were purportedly spent shells from the crime scene. Delon Henry, also called “Nasty Man”, is on trial for the gunning down of footballer Dexter Griffith, who was killed near his mother’s East Ruimveldt, Georgetown home on September 29, 2015.
At Monday’s proceedings, Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage owing to multiple gunshot wounds, noting that the deceased was shot six times. He said that he noticed injuries to Griffith’s arms, leg, shoulder, back and elsewhere, but did not find gunpowder residue. He further suggested that the assailant fired from three to five feet away.
Five of the spent shells were recovered and former Inspector Jackson, then a Sergeant of Police, had tendered the exhibits at the Magistrate’s Court. However, when he testified on Monday, he admitted that he could not find the said exhibits, noting that he made several checks at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters Eve Leary and also at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) section at the same location.
After Defence Counsel Adrian Thompson sought clarification during Jackson’s evidence-in-chief, Justice Sandil Kissoon observed that the items may have been removed by a third party.
Meanwhile, Police Sergeant Detective Rodwell Sarabo and Inspector Shivram Murgaya both corroborated a recollection to the jury of “Nasty Man” admitting to the footballer’s murder.  On October 5, 2015, the two Police ranks were present at CID headquarters where they put the murder allegation to Henry. Sarabo and Murgaya told the Court that Henry was treated at a hospital for injuries he had sustained on his foot while he tried to escape from Police custody.
They claimed that upon his return to CID, he refused to give a written statement, noting under cross-examination that what the accused related to them could not be counted as a confession statement. However, in evidence-in-chief, the duo asserted that while in custody, Henry admitted.
“Officer Barrow used to watch meh back. When they kill El Sinkie that is when I come out, fo kill he; so that is why when this man dead, he and Mafia roll up in a dark car with a hand gun fo kill me,” the two Policemen quoted Henry as saying.
They added that they never assaulted, threatened, used violence against or made any promises to Henry. The witnesses also noted that the defendant declined having a meal, having observed that he had already eaten.
According to reports back then, after being shot, Griffith reportedly managed to stand and walked a short distance in an attempt to escape from Henry, but eventually fell unconscious to the ground, while his assailant escaped. Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt are prosecuting the State’s case.