Youth on trial for murder of Kaneville machine operator

24-year-old Rayan Carter appeared before Justice Navindra Singh Wednesday on a murder charge. His trial is ongoing before a 12-member jury at the High Court in Demerara.

The charge against Carter states that on January 13, 2018, at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, he murdered Ishwar Ramanah, a machine operator during a robbery.

The accused has pleaded not guilty.

Carter is being represented by Attorney-at-law Racheal Bakker, while the case for the prosecution is being presented by State Counsel Tiffini Lyken. A total of 17 witnesses are slated to testify.

According to reports, Ramanah, called ‘Jack,’ of 624 Macaw Drive, Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, was shot to his abdomen on December 13, 2017, when bandits invaded his home. The bandits reportedly escaped with a gold chain worth $40,000.

Ramanah was rushed to the Diamond Hospital and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he underwent surgery. He later died.

Following a Preliminary Inquiry in April 2018, a city magistrate found that there was sufficient evidence against Carter to put him on trial for the offence at the High Court. Accordingly, Carter of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, was committed to stand trial at the Demerara Criminal Assizes.