Trial of accused in Vlissengen Road robbery-murder begins
The trial of Travis McDougall, who is accused of murdering businessman Ashok Raghoo, commenced yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12member jury at the High Court in Georgetown.
It is alleged that on August 18, 2014, at Vlissengen Road, McDougall, together with another, murdered Raghoo in the course or furtherance of a robbery.
Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy said in her opening address yesterday that on the day in question, Raghoo and his wife left home in their car to transact business in the city.
The court heard that they were driving along Vlissengen Road and had stopped at a traffic light when they were both shot and relieved of belongings. They were thereafter rushed to the Georgetown Hospital, where Ashok succumbed to his injuries.
Testifying yesterday was Police Corporal Mark Gasper, who recalled retrieving a warhead from the scene. It was tendered and admitted in evidence.
Asked under cross-examination whether cameras were in the vicinity of the scene, Gasper told defence attorney Nigel Hughes yes, while noting that they were mounted just above the traffic light.
The crime scene investigator (CSI), however, said that he did not pay attention to them nor the direction in which they were pointing.
Asked by counsel whether various surveillance cameras throughout the city were monitored by the police, the CSI said he did not know.
Testifying also were Raghoo’s daughters, Vineta and Vareshma Raghoo who recalled identifying their father’s body to pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, who performed an autopsy.
The post-mortem report was tendered in evidence through police constable Terrence Browne, who told the court that apart from the report, which he uplifted from Dr Singh, the jersey which Raghoo was wearing at the time of his death was also handed over by the doctor.
That jersey, he told the court, had suspected blood stains and a small hole on its left side. It was also tendered and admitted in evidence. The trial continues this morning at 9. McDougall was initially charged with the capital offence jointly with Jermain Otto, who was among the 17 prisoners who died in the Camp Street Prison fire last year.