Accused freed of taxi driver murder

Murder accused Stephen Campbell, of Lot 5 Number Seven, Bramsfield Village, East Coast Berbice, on Wednesday walked out of the Berbice High Court a free man after Justice William Ramlal upheld the defense no case submission. Campbell was on trial before Justice Ramlal and a mixed jury for murdering taxi driver Trevor Kissoon, between June 9 and June 10, 2010, before dumping his body. The battered body of Kissoon, 27, of 24 Alexander Street, New Amsterdam, was found in a trench at Bramsfield Number Seven, East Coast Berbice, around noon on June 10, 2010. Kissoon, who was employed with the J&N Taxi Service in New Amsterdam, was driving a silver-grey 212 Toyota car, HB 7489. The state’s case presented by Prosecutor Attorneyat-Law Stacy Goodings saw a switch in prosecutors half way with Attorney Orinthia Schmidt concluding the matter. The accused was represented by Attorneys at law Mursalene Bacchus and Perry Goosai. When the matter continued on Wednesday Attorney at law, Mursalene Bacchus, made a no case submission during which he discredited the prosecution’s case, especially the evidence of star witness Ambika Hunt who had a relationship with the accused Campbell. After listening to the rebuttal done by Schmidt, Justice Ramlal made his ruling. The judge stated that the only evidence that seems to connect Campbell to the death of Kissoon is the evidence of Ambika Hunt. She said that the accused told her at her home that he and his friends killed a taxi driver.

No direct evidence was led by the prosecution to establish who the taxi driver was, who were the friends of the accused or where the taxi driver was killed. He said that Ambika Hunt admitted under cross examination that she got the date, June 9, 2010 from the police as the date her cell phone was used to call a taxi service. She admitted further that she was forced to tell the police what they wanted to hear after being in custody for long a time. In that, what the police asked her on the first day, she was prepared to say on the second day. Apart from Hunt’s evidence there was no circumstantial or direct evidence to establish that by a taxi driver she meant Trevor Kissoon who was in fact a driver with J and N taxi service. There was no evidence led by the prosecution that whoever used Hunt’s cell phone to call J and N taxi service is in fact the accused. The possession of the cell phone by Campbell cannot by inference lead to him being involved and to whom called the taxi. (Kaieteurnews.com)