One day after pleading not guilty to the 2012 murder of Rayaad Khan, who was fatally stabbed to his chest with a broken glass bottle after an altercation, the police Caution Statement (CS) of the accused, Christopher DaSilva, was tendered and admitted into evidence.
As the High Court trial of DaSilva continued on Thursday, police witness Hubert Henry read to the jury the statement which the murdered accused was said to have signed in 2012. According to the police evidence, DaSilva reportedly indicated that “Riyaad”, the deceased, had slapped him, the accused, before he, DaSilva, had picked up a bottle and committed the act.
“I take it then bore he,” the CS added, further noting that he had then thrown the bottle away before fleeing the scene.
The defence, led by Attorney Maxwell McKay, however argues that the young man did not know to what he was signing.
The Prosecution, led by Siand Dhurjon and assisted by Tuanna Hardy, contends that the stabbing occurred at about 20:00h on June 28, 2012 at 17th Avenue, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. According to the post mortem examination, Khan, then 17, had died from shock and hemorrhage due to a single stab wound to the chest. The alleged perpetrator, DaSilva, was 18 at the time of his arrest.
What had reportedly sparked the incident was an argument the two young men had reportedly had over the attention DaSilva’s girlfriend was paying Khan. The matter is being heard by Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court.
