With no case submission upheld, LBI man walks free of murder charge

After being behind bars for over two years on a charge of murder, 28-year-old Deoram Persaud walked out of the Demerara High Court a free man on Monday.

Persaud, of La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara, was freed following a no case submission put forward by his attorney, Latchmie Rahamat.

He was on trial before a mix 12-member jury for the murder of cane harvester, Deokumar Basdeo, who was killed between January 1 and January 2, 2016 at Cane Grove, ECD.

On Monday, Persaud’s trial commenced with a total of five witnesses, led by State Prosecutor Shawnette Austin.

After the state closed its case, attorney-at-law Rahamat submitted that the defence had no case to answer. She said that two of the prosecution eyewitnesses said that they not see Persaud attacking Basdeo, since it was dark and they could not have seen.

Also, there was no evidence of any ID parade being held.

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow agreed with the submissions of the defence and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

According to reports, Basdeo, was fatally beaten by a group of men on New Year’s Day, 2016. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital and succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention the next day.