Jury empaneled in trial of ex-cop accused of killing his common-law wife  

A 12 member jury was empaneled on Wednesday morning in the trial of ex-policeman Colin Bailey who is accused of murdering his common-law wife and businesswoman Sirmattie Ramnaress.

Bailey, and his co-accused Colin Grant appeared via Zoom at the High Court in Demerara. They both pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that between August 30, and 31, 2013, in the county of Demerara, they murdered Ramnaress called ‘Kavita’.

The two murder accused are being represented by Attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels, Dexter Todd, and Konyo Sandiford.

State Counsel Sarah Martin, Latifah Elliott, and Nafeeza Baig are appearing on behalf of the prosecution. The prosecution will call its first witness next week Tuesday, October 12, before High Court Judge Jo Ann Barlow.

Following a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) in 2016, Bailey and Grant were both committed to stand trial in the High Court for the woman’s murder.

Reports are that 36-year-old Ramnaress was found dead in the garage of her Diamond, East Bank Demerara home on the morning of August 31, 2013.

Firefighters were summoned to put out a blaze that was set in the garage. The woman lived alone and had stab wounds and other injuries to her head and other parts of her body.