After hearing evidence for almost nine months, jurors in the trial of five men accused of kidnapping and murdering businesswoman Samdaye Rampersad, will be addressed by Justice Malcolm Holdip today. Holdip is presiding over the trial of Phillip "The Boss" Boodram, of Dow Village, California; Roger Mootoo, of Springvale Village, Claxton Bay; Ricky Singh, of Cedar Hill Road, Claxton Bay; Kervin Williams and Aaron "Arc Eye" Grappie, both of Pranz Gardens, Claxton Bay, for the kidnapping and murder of Rampersad in 2005.
The prosecution's case is that Rampersad was abducted outside her variety store at Petit Bourg, San Juan, on November 25. Her body was found by police, 41 days later, in a shallow grave in a cashew field at Carolina Village, Claxton Bay. During the lengthy trial, the 12 jurors and five alternates heard that for weeks after her kidnapping, Rampersad's brother, Mervyn, was contacted several times by a man who demanded a $2 million ransom for her safe release.
All five accused have pleaded not guilty. Williams and Grappie claimed they were at a wedding on the day of Rampersad's abduction, while Boodram said he was hunting in Moruga. One of the State's witnesses, forensic pathologist Hughvon des Vignes, testified that an autopsy of Rampersad's body showed she died of asphyxia and suffocation consistent with being buried alive.
During the trial, it was revealed that the State's main witness, Nigel "Cat" Rodrick is at the Remand Yard awaiting trial for murder. Rodrick testified that he gave the confession which implicated the accused in the matter while in police custody for his alleged involvement in another murder.
He claimed he was present at a meeting in which the kidnapping was planned and at Rampersad's eventual death. The accused are being represented by a legal team, which includes attorneys Evans Welch, Wayne Sturge and J Williams.
