– after juror told court he is related to a witness
The disclosure from a juror that he was related to one of the prosecution’s witnesses in a murder trial, led to the proceedings being aborted on Tuesday by Demerara High Court Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall.
A bus driver of Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Lurick Fiffee, 43, had been on trial before a 12-member jury for murdering his ex-girlfriend, Rosemary Rudder on March 31, 2018. Upon his arraignment, he had pleaded not guilty. His trial began on Monday.
Murder accused: Lurick Fiffee
However, at a scheduled hearing on Tuesday, one of the jurors realised that he was related to the State’s witness and immediately brought it to the attention of the Judge.
In the interest of justice, the trial Judge aborted the trial and further remanded the murder accused to prison to await another trial. Based on reports received, the now-dead Rudder, a mother of two, had gone to Fiffee’s home, and upon arriving, she saw another woman in the house.
This led to a heated argument between her and the accused, and it quickly escalated into a scuffle.
The minibus driver subsequently left the 32-year-old woman lying motionless and went to the La Grange Police Station, WBD, where he lodged a complaint.
The Police travelled to the home, only to find the woman’s lifeless body in the house. It is believed that she was strangled. The woman’s body was picked up and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Dead: Rosemary Rudder
Fiffee was immediately taken into custody. It was reported that after the couple had separated, Rosemary had wanted to rekindle, but Fiffee had refused.
Back in 2006, the woman’s brother Fenton Rudder, and grandmother Hannah Cameron, along with a third person, David Brummel, were shot and killed after gunmen invaded their home at Agricola, Greater Georgetown.
After shooting the trio to death, the gunmen set the house on fire.
