Taxi driver on trial for stabbing ex-lover to death

The trial of 60-year-old Alan Sim for the murder of former Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) ambulance dispatcher Melissa Skeete commenced on Thursday before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown.

Alan Sim, formerly of Paradise Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, has pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleges that on November 23, 2015, he murdered Skeete, of 94 Prince William Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.
It was reported that the murder accused and Skeete had parented a child. On the day in question, the accused picked up the woman from her place of employment in his motorcar, PRR 6801, and sometime after, she was discovered lying face down and bleeding profusely in the vicinity of Carmichael Street, Georgetown.
She was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she died while receiving medical attention.
As the trial commenced on Thursday, State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy called a number of witnesses to the stand. They included two Police ranks.
Corporal Hamlet DaSilva, who is attached to the Major C

rimes Investigations Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary Georgetown, testified to his role in probing the alleged murder.
According to him, on Friday, November 27, 2015, at around 17:00hrs, he received certain instructions and, as a result, collected two forms and nine pieces of writing paper. He recalled that he went to the Identification Parade Room in CID compound, where he met Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Houston, who is now deceased.
Corporal DaSilva recalled that ASP Houston was in the company of Sim and eight other men, who were all of similar appearance to Sim. He said the men were all dressed in short pants and multi-coloured shirts. He added that the men all had low haircuts. He further said that ASP Houston told Sim that he would be placed on an identification parade in relation to Skeete’s murder, and thereafter cautioned the accused in accordance with the Judge’s Rules.
Sim, however, elected to remain silent, and was later pointed out as the person who had shot and killed Skeete by the witness to the identification parade, Trevor Simmons.
Also testifying was Sergeant Jomo Williams, who told the court that Sim remained silent when he told him of an allegation that he had murdered Skeete.
Sergeant Williams further told the court that he then cautioned Sim in the presence of Sim’s lawyer, and Sim remained silent. He said he then placed the murder accused into custody, pending further investigation.
He added, “I then again put the allegation to him and cautioned him, and he again remained silent. He refused to give a written statement in relation to the matter. I then escorted him to CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, where he was placed into custody pending further investigation.”
Michael De Cruz, a security officer, was another witness in the matter. He testified that on November 23, 2015, he was on duty, and at around 15:00h, he saw children running and screaming. He added that he peeped out the window of the guard hut and heard them screaming, “Help! Help!”
De Cruz said he saw a lady running from Church Street, Georgetown and then into Carmichael Street, Georgetown. He said the woman fell face down near a utility pole, and blood was pouring from her neck.
Asked by the prosecutor if he had rendered any assistance to the woman, this witness replied in the negative, stating that he is an amputee.
Meanwhile, Janelle Skeete, cousin of the murdered Melissa Skeete, said the murder accused and her cousin had been together for about two to three years prior to 2015. She revealed that her cousin and Sim were having some problems, and that they were not together when she died. Janelle also testified that she had identified her cousin’s body before the pathologist who later conducted a post mortem examination.
Constable Leon David testified that during the month of November 2015, he was stationed at the Brickdam Police Station. He stated that on November 25, 2015, he was present at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary where the body of Skeete was identified by her cousin for the purpose of conducting a post mortem examination.
He added that the body was handed over to the family for burial. Corporal David tendered into evidence the post mortem examination report prepared by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh.
Three months after Sim was charged for the murder of his reputed wife Melissa Skeete, his son Alan Sim Jr was charged with being an accessory to the crime.
According to the charge against the younger Sim, between November 23 and November 25, 2015 at Georgetown, he received, comforted, maintained, and relieved his father after his father had murdered Skeete.
The younger Sim was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He is currently awaiting trial for the offence at the High Court.