Freeman St murder inquiry reopened for testimony from police witness
Days after the prosecutor closed its case in the preliminary trial of two youths accused of the near oneyear-old killing of Fazal Shaheed, who was fatally shot during a robbery at Freeman Street, East La Penitence, the inquiry was reopened yesterday to allow evidence from one more witness.
It is alleged that Shawn De Santos and Stephon Howard on September 24th, 2017, at Lot 194 Freeman Street, murdered Shaheed during the furtherance of a robbery.
During the continuation of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore Friday, police prosecutor Dominic Bess made a request for Linscley Romain to be allowed to testify in the matter. The prosecutor reminded the court that several efforts were made to contact the teen but they were unsuccessful until Friday.
Romain, the ex-girlfriend of De Santos, was then permitted to testify by Magistrate Azore, who noted the efforts the prosecutor would have made to have the witness come to court.
Subsequent to Romain’s testimony, the prosecutor once again closed its case against the defendants.
The matter was then adjourned until tomorrow, when a ruling is expected to be made.
On Sunday, September 24th, 2017, around 12.45 am, Shaheed and his brothers were with family and friends preparing for a memorial service for their father when bandits attacked. The bandits, who escaped with jewellery, fatally shot Fazal, 58, a father of one, of 18 Albion, Corentyne, Berbice and wounded two of his brothers, Shalim, 53, a father of one of the USA, and Talim, 50, a father of three of Canada.