No-case submission upheld — Man freed of wife’s murder

THE murder of 23-year-old Rebecca Ramkissoon remains unsolved as the man accused of shooting her — her husband — was freed yesterday in the San Fernando High Court. Trial judge Justice Malcolm Holdip upheld a no-case submission by the defence and instructed the jury to return a not guilty verdict to murder accused Suresh Singh.

The decision to free Singh, who is also known as “Rudy,” was taken on the fourth day of trial of which one and a half days were spent with legal issues being argued by his defence attorney Sophia Chote and State prosecutor Dinanath Ramkissoon in the absence of the 12-member jury. Some nine witnesses had already given testimony for the prosecution, including the adopted mother and father of the deceased. There were no eyewitnesses when Rebecca was hit by a single bullet to the head on Old Year’s night 2000. She was standing in the gallery of her home at Mafeking Village, Mayaro, when an explosion was heard and she slumped to the ground. Her adopted father, David Samuel, testified that he rushed to her side and found her lying a pool of  blood. Neighbours assisted in rushing the bleeding woman to the nearby Mayaro District Hospital, but Rebecca was pronounced dead on arrival.  

After two days of investigations by Mayaro police, Rebecca’s husband of three years was arrested at his home in Bristol Village. The trial revealed that Singh told detectives upon arrest that he had been staying by his friend, Roshan Ramlogan, at San Juan and had only just returned. Ramlogan testified that he took the accused to stay with him on New Year’s morning when Singh told him his “name calling in an incident.” Police corporal Godfrey Bebe testified that he obtained the clothing which the accused said he wore on the night of Rebecca’s murder, and swabs of the accused’s hands, which were taken to the Forensics Sciences Centre for testing for nitrates and lead residues or gun powder residue. The certificate of analysis read to the court stated that no gun powder residue was traced on the items. On being freed of the charge, Singh hurriedly ran out of the San Fernando High Court building before reporters could speak to him.