Man sentenced to hang

Nimrod Miguel, 24, of Monkey Town, New Grant, was sentenced to death by Justice Ian Brook in the San Fernando High Court, for shooting and killing Ramesh Lalchan, 37, four years ago on Old Year’s night.

Lalchan’s body was found in a canefield at Fairfield Road, Princes Town with three bullets to the head. A 12-member jury heard evidence from 24 witnesses, including a written confession to police investigators from Miguel, in which he said that he and four men had set out to rob someone on Old Year’s night on December 31, 2003. Miguel was picked up in a Nissan B14 car by ‘Terry’ and together with ‘Shane’, ‘Macca’ and another man also named ‘Miguel’, saw Lalchan sitting in a Mazda car near a pond.

It was close to midnight and after tying Lalchan’s mouth with a bandana, as well as his feet, they drove his car to the canefield. The other men were never arrested and according to a statement, Miguel told police that he did not shoot the victim. ‘Terry’ drove off with his B14 motorcar leaving Miguel and the other men, who eventually left with Lalchan’s vehicle, the court heard.

State Attorneys Angelica Teelucksingh and Mauriceia Joseph, called Inspectors Gregory

Renwrick and Azam Hamid who investigated the murder. They located the stolen Mazda 323, and testified how fingerprints were lifted from the vehicle’s number plates which matched those of the accused Miguel.

Miguel, who was defended by attorney Capildeo Maharaj, instructed by Ramesh Dena, opted to give evidence. He testified that he did not kill anyone and denied he gave a statement. Justice Brook summed up the case yesterday, but two and a half hours after deliberating, the foreman requested that the panel needed further directions on the murder-felony rule. The judge, in writing, explained to the jury the evidence in the case and the law on joint enterprise, as it related to the role Miguel played in causing the death of Lalchan.

The jury retired then returned within 15 minutes and announced Miguel guilty of murder. Justice Brook after sentencing him to death by hanging, said that he wanted to highly commend Renwrick and Hamid, “for their exemplary degree of investigation”.

Lalchan’s wife, Shafina, and her three teenage sons of Bonasse Village, Icacos, left the courthouse wiping away tears. “I have finally gotten justice,” she cried.