Six men from Freeport on trial for murdering two young sisters in an arson attack on their home in 2009 are expected to know their fate June 25.
Siblings Shiva, Ryan and Vishan Bajnauth, their half-brother Solomon Rampersad, their friends Kenny Mohammed and former Special Reserve Police (SRP) officer Junior John are before Justice Maria Wilson charged with the attack, which claimed the lives of Sangeeta, three, and six-year-old Sarah Ramdial and left two of their relatives injured.
Wilson began summing up the case to the 12-member jury in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Criminal Court yesterday. The judge is expected to complete her summation today before jurors deliberate on a verdict.
During their trial, which began in February, the State led evidence from the children's father Ashook Ramdial, who witnessed the attack on his family while hiding in some bushes at the side of his home at Playground Avenue, Uquire Road, Freeport, on April 14, 2009.
Ramdial claimed that he had a long-standing dispute with his neighbours-the Bajnauth brothers- which culminated with the arson attack on his two-bedroom wooden home. He said he jumped out of a window and hid after his wife warned him that a group of armed men were in front of their home.
Also testifying in the trial was the Ramdial's wife, Geeta Singh, and his cousin Richard Ramdial, who were both shot as they ran outside the house to confront their attackers.
In their testimony, all three relatives recounted how they watched helplessly as the two children perished in the blaze and were able to identify the accused men as their attackers.
The trial took a surprising turn in March, when a police officer who responded to the scene of the fire provided an alibi for one of the accused men.
Cpl Ronnie-Lee Gopaul had claimed that Rampersad was at Freeport Police Station making a report over property damage caused by Ramdial's dogs when he received the report of the fire. Earlier in the trial, Ramdial had alleged that several reports he made against the men were ignored by police before the incident occurred.
The six men are being represented by Vernon de Lima, Ravi Rajcoomar, John Heath, Kern Saney and Chase Pegus while Renuka Rambhajan prosecuted.