Wales Cop cautioned husband and wife without witness – jury hears

Boxing Night fatal stabbing

The High Court trial of Nyron Thakurdyal and his reputed wife, Vishawantie Ragnauth, commenced before Justice Sandhill Kissoon on Wednesday, where the 12-member jury heard that when murder allegations were put to the duo, Constable Kevon Bennett was the lone Police rank present. This means that it will be his word against theirs, as he admitted under cross-examination by lawyer for the two defendants, Nigel Hughes.
Ragnauth, the number one accused; and Thakurdyal, her common-law husband and an alleged accomplice are on trial for the murder of Ragnauth’s 39-year-old uncle, Sunil Ramsundar on December 26, 2014, at Patentia, West Bank Demerara. Reports were that Ramsundar allegedly attempted to settle a dispute between his sister, niece and his niece’s reputed husband.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Constable Bennett who was stationed at the Wales

Police Station during the murder investigation, said after he received instructions, he went to Skull City, Patentia, where the murder occurred and told the accused persons of their alleged crime. Bennett later noted that Thakurdyal responded saying “Big man, me just part them.”
Under evidence-in-chief led by Prosecutor Orinthia Schmidt, the Police witness claimed that the duo appeared nervous and shaking while in custody, though he later admitted in court that he never included that in his statement nor disclosed those descriptions to the Magistrate.
Under questioning by Attorney Hughes, Bennett said he could not recall why he did not ask the two accused if they wanted to put anything in writing. During questioning, he also said only he was present with the accused when he spoke with them while they were in custody.
Eta Lakram of Patentia Housing Scheme was the deceased’s mother-in-law. In her testimony, she said after she was told that Sunil was stabbed around 22:00h, she went to the area and saw his body braced against a fence.
“When I look at he, from he neck come down is share blood,” the woman told the court.
Police investigator Amir Riknauth also testified. He took three images of the murder scene but only two were presented. He said the other was blurred. However, under cross-examination, he admitted that half of one of the printed pictures was distorted, leaving Attorney Hughes to declare that the Policeman presented one and a half a picture to court.
According to the State’s cases, Sunil Ramsundar’s sister was reportedly being assaulted by her daughter Vishawantie and reputed husband Thakurdyal. At that time, reports stated that the now deceased man enquired from his sister why she was crying, and upon learning that the couple had physically assaulted her, the man approached his niece for an explanation. However, this reportedly turned into a heated argument, during which Ramsundar was stabbed about his body. He collapsed on the spot and was pronounced dead on arrival to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.