A 12-member jury was on Monday empanelled before Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court as the trial into the murder of 40-year-old Deonarine Manbodh also called “Ramesh”, who died as a result of a fatal beating in October of 2016, commenced.
Accused: Jonathan Budhan
Twenty-two-year-old Jonathan Budhan is accused of murdering Manbodh on October 25, 2016, in the county of Demerara. After this indictment was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Budhan is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes while the State’s case is being presented by Prosecutors Teriq Mohammed, Abigail Gibbs and Tuanna Hardy.
During Monday’s court session, two witnesses took the stand before Justice Singh to give their part of evidence into the matter. Dinesh Manbodh, brother of the deceased, testified that he was present at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary to identify his brother’s body, after which a post-mortem examination was performed.
Another brother, Nathram Manbodh, informed the court that his deceased brother lived in the same yard with him, as the plot of land had three houses constructed on it. He further denied knowledge of the accused being in a relationship with Deonarine’s daughter, stating that he did not know this because he was not involved in the affairs of his brother’s family. Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he wanted his niece to have ‘high-class’ spouses but further stated that his family would never prevent his niece from being with a ‘low-class’ partner because it cannot be stopped.
Dead: Deonarine Manbodh also called “Ramesh”
Back in 2016, Budhan was charged for the murder when he appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court and was remanded. Reports indicate that on the day in question, the accused, while armed with a cricket bat, beat the now dead man. Manbodh was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was admitted and died four days later.
The accused, who evaded police apprehension after committing the act, later turned himself in at the Leonora Police Station where he was charged for the offence.
