The case against a Canada-based Guyanese accused of hiring a hit man to kill his reputed wife has collapsed, with Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang ruling that the court lacked sufficient evidence to charge him.
The Husband: Dennis Persaud
But the alleged hit-man, who has been unable to hire a lawyer, remains behind bars.
Kaieteur News has confirmed that the accused, Dennis Persaud, was freed late last year after Chief Justice Chang ruled in favour of his attorney, the late Vicramadictya ‘Vic’ Puran, who had filed a motion to have the case quashed.
At the time that Puran’s motion was filed, both Persaud and Green had been committed to stand trial for murder.
Reliable sources said that Persaud left Guyana almost immediately after he was freed.
The 57-year-old man is said to be a real estate agent who transacts most of his business in Canada.
The Chief Justice has also ordered that alleged hit-man, Troy Green, be subjected to a new preliminary inquiry. The new hearing has begun at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court, and the accused is reportedly scheduled to return to court this week.
Green was represented during the early stages of the case by Attorney-at-Law Miska Puran, but is now unrepresented.
Persaud was 55 and Green was 22 when they were accused of killing Persaud’s reputed wife, Bibi Rafeena Saymar.
The victim, a 23-year-old hairdresser, was found lying on the floor of the couple’s two-bedroom flat at Hague, West Coast Demerara at around 02:00 hrs on Saturday, May 29, 2010.
She had been stabbed eleven times and died before she could receive medical attention. Death was due to shock and haemorrhage.
It is alleged that the Saymar gave police a description of her attacker before succumbing.
Persaud and Green were detained a few hours later.
The Murdered Wife: Bibi Rafeena Saymar
Police alleged that Green, of Howes Street, Charlestown, confessed that Persaud had hired him to kill Saymar. They alleged that he said he entered the couple’s flat via an open bedroom window and dragged Saymar from her bed before inflicting the fatal wounds.
According to the police, Green stated that Persaud had promised to pay him to commit the act.
On June 1, 2010, Green and Persaud appeared in the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin and were remanded on charges of murder.
However, the Magistrate requested that Green undergo a medical examination after the labourer and his attorney alleged that he was beaten by ranks at the Leonora Police Station to sign his confession statement.
Persaud had appeared unperturbed and even smiled occasionally as he stood in the docks.
His attorney, Vic Puran, subsequently told Kaieteur News that his client had a statement “that would totally exculpate him.”
The slain woman’s relatives have alleged that she was the victim of an abusive relationship. But they said that while she had complained repeatedly to them, she had never filed a report with the police.