3 testify in murder inquiry

Sgt Pantin, Constable Stefano De Gale, both of the Homicide Bureau — and Joel Samuel of Laventille Road, all testified against Foluke John, 19, of Boxhill Trace, Laventille who is charged with Alleyne’s murder.

The case is being heard before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court. Alleyne, a Form Two student of Barataria Junior Secondary School was fatally shot on April 21. John is being represented by Theodore Guerra SC while Denise Dadree is State’s counsel. The matter was adjourned for August 17. And in an unrelated case, Mc Nicolls yesterday ruled that a prima facie case was made out against a 45-year-old Belmont handyman on a charge of murder and he (the accused) was committed to stand trial at the next sitting of the Assizes.

Wilton Alleyne of Radix Road in Belmont is charged with murdering Republic Bank IT manager Vivian Ramnarine at her St Francois Valley Road, Belmont home on April 28. An autopsy revealed Ramnarine was strangled. Alleyne was charged by Sgt Pantin of the Homicide Bureau who yesterday gave evidence against the accused and was subsequently cross-examined by defence attorney Richard Mason.

Mason subsequently submitted that the evidence given by the prosecution was “manifestly unreliable” and there was nothing to state that the accused was responsible for the death of the deceased. However, at the end of the PI, Mc Nicolls ruled that a prima facie case was made out by the State and he committed the accused to stand trial. Renuka Rambhajan was State’s counsel.