The Prosecution last Friday closed its case in the trial where Bibi Shareema Gopaul and her lover, Jarvis Barry Small are indicted for murdering Gopaul’s 16-year-old daughter, Queen’s College student, Neesa Gopaul.
It has been nearly a month since the trial got underway before Justice Navindra Singh. The Prosecutors brought 26 witnesses to the stand.The teen’s body was found on October 2, 2010 at Madewini along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway tucked inside a suitcase that was partially submerged in a creek.
Following intense investigations, the teen’s mother and her then lover, Small were arrested and charged for her murder.
Concerted Crime
Last Thursday, the State’s star witness, Simone De Nobrega gripped a packed courtroom with vivid details of the murder.
The State witness who is also known as “Simone King,” is the former cellmate of Gopaul and claimed that the woman had confided in her that she sat and watched as Small first strangled and then bashed her daughter’s skull before disposing of her body in a creek on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
The victim’s five-year-old sister, De Nobrega had said, was sleeping in the car while Gopaul remained unmoved as her teenage daughter begged for her life. De Nobrega had met and befriended Bibi Gopaul during a period of incarceration at the East La Penitence Police Station lockups.
De Nobrega said that Gopaul told her one night “It wasn’t me. Barry killed Neesa.” Gopaul told her that she met Small, a gym instructor, after she started to attend the gym and they began having an affair.
According to the witness, Gopaul said that some time later, she told her lover that she was not comfortable with her marriage and she wanted to be with him because he made her happy.
De Nobrega said that the woman told her that she had moved out of her matrimonial home, but returned for the sake of her two daughters, Neesa and a five-year-old, and was hopeful that the marriage would get better, but instead it got worse.
It has been nearly a month since the trial got underway before Justice Navindra Singh. The Prosecutors brought 26 witnesses to the stand.The teen’s body was found on October 2, 2010 at Madewini along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway tucked inside a suitcase that was partially submerged in a creek.
Following intense investigations, the teen’s mother and her then lover, Small were arrested and charged for her murder.
Concerted Crime
Last Thursday, the State’s star witness, Simone De Nobrega gripped a packed courtroom with vivid details of the murder.
The State witness who is also known as “Simone King,” is the former cellmate of Gopaul and claimed that the woman had confided in her that she sat and watched as Small first strangled and then bashed her daughter’s skull before disposing of her body in a creek on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
The victim’s five-year-old sister, De Nobrega had said, was sleeping in the car while Gopaul remained unmoved as her teenage daughter begged for her life. De Nobrega had met and befriended Bibi Gopaul during a period of incarceration at the East La Penitence Police Station lockups.
De Nobrega said that Gopaul told her one night “It wasn’t me. Barry killed Neesa.” Gopaul told her that she met Small, a gym instructor, after she started to attend the gym and they began having an affair.
According to the witness, Gopaul said that some time later, she told her lover that she was not comfortable with her marriage and she wanted to be with him because he made her happy.
De Nobrega said that the woman told her that she had moved out of her matrimonial home, but returned for the sake of her two daughters, Neesa and a five-year-old, and was hopeful that the marriage would get better, but instead it got worse.
Murder accused Jarvis Barry Small
She said that the victim’s mother had related that Small told her that the only way they could be together was if her husband was out of the picture. According to the cellmate, Gopaul’s lover had encouraged her to poison her husband and he gave her rat poison to add to his meals over a period of time.
This eventually led to Javed Gopaul’s demise. He was buried a matter of hours after he died. Gopaul reportedly related that two weeks after her husband’s death, Small moved into her home.
At this point, the witness related that Gopaul told her that her daughter Neesa had become very rude and disrespectful to her. She related that the teen started skipping school and staying out late.
The court heard that the accused had also revealed that Small had told her that Neesa had confided in him that she overheard a telephone conversation between her mother and another person; she overheard her mother telling the person on the other end of the line about how she had poisoned her father.
He said that Neesa told him that her father had left them a lot of money.
The court heard that Gopaul also related that Small told her that they needed to get rid of Neesa because she would cause trouble.
Gopaul reportedly drove for a mile down a trail and stopped at Emerald Towers Resort, “Neesa’s favourite place” where she stopped the car and Small got out.
According to DeNobrega, Gopaul’s lover took Neesa out of the car as she was panting for breath. Gopaul stood outside to ensure nobody else was around while Small took Neesa around the car and she fell on her knees and began to call out to her little sister.
Small, she said, then took a piece of wood from the car’s trunk and began lashing Neesa repeatedly at the back of her head. He hit her until she was laying face down on the ground, the witness recalled being told.
This eventually led to Javed Gopaul’s demise. He was buried a matter of hours after he died. Gopaul reportedly related that two weeks after her husband’s death, Small moved into her home.
At this point, the witness related that Gopaul told her that her daughter Neesa had become very rude and disrespectful to her. She related that the teen started skipping school and staying out late.
The court heard that the accused had also revealed that Small had told her that Neesa had confided in him that she overheard a telephone conversation between her mother and another person; she overheard her mother telling the person on the other end of the line about how she had poisoned her father.
He said that Neesa told him that her father had left them a lot of money.
The court heard that Gopaul also related that Small told her that they needed to get rid of Neesa because she would cause trouble.
Gopaul reportedly drove for a mile down a trail and stopped at Emerald Towers Resort, “Neesa’s favourite place” where she stopped the car and Small got out.
According to DeNobrega, Gopaul’s lover took Neesa out of the car as she was panting for breath. Gopaul stood outside to ensure nobody else was around while Small took Neesa around the car and she fell on her knees and began to call out to her little sister.
Small, she said, then took a piece of wood from the car’s trunk and began lashing Neesa repeatedly at the back of her head. He hit her until she was laying face down on the ground, the witness recalled being told.
Murder accused Bibi Shareema Gopaul
De Nobrega said Gopaul recalled that the last sounds she heard from her daughter sounded like groans. Shortly after, Neesa stopped making the noise and Small picked up the teen, dumped her in the trunk and they returned home.
The following morning, Gopaul reportedly awoke and went to check to ensure Neesa was “really dead.” She didn’t want to touch the body with her hands; she poked it with a stick.
Gopaul reported her daughter missing and Small instructed her to wrap the body in a sheet and place it in a suitcase with the girl’s passport and Early Saver’s bank card to make it appear as if she had run away from home.
They reportedly took the weightlifting dumbbells which she had at her house and later used it to attach to the suitcase to keep it under water. She said that they returned to the Emerald Tower Resort where they dumped the body in a creek.
The witness said that Gopaul recounted that Small thereafter instructed her to pack their bags and that they were going to leave for Suriname but as she was in the process of doing so the following day the police came to the house.
The police told her that they had found Neesa’s body and she needed to go with them to identify it.
Floating Headless
in a Bag
Lance Corporal of Police, Germain Laundry who was part of the team of policemen who visited the crime scene, said that he had noticed a black suitcase floating in the (Madewini) Creek situated north to south along the Emerald Tower Resort.
The suitcase, the witness noted, was partly submerged in the water and when he checked there was a human hand hanging out of the bag.
Upon further investigation, the policeman noted that there was a red rope tied around the bag which seemed to be attached to something which was acting as an anchor. The witness said he got in, decided to cut the rope and brought the bag ashore with the assistance of another rank.
He said that the body of a female, a black gown and a Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry, (GBTI) Early Savers card, a GBTI Bank Book and a Guyanese passport in the name of Neesa Gopaul were unearthed.
The female‘s head, Laundry recalled, appeared to be bashed in.
Head of the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) in the case, Corporal Floyd Hossanah related too that a female’s body was found inside the black suitcase recovered at the scene. The body, he said, had no head, was barefooted and had a black and blue mark on the arm. He confirmed that the items were found.
Forensic analysis
Police Forensic analyst, Steven Greaves told the court that he had collected samples from the corpse and swab samples from her mother, grandfather and sister for the purpose of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing.
He later took them to the Barbados Forensic Sciences Center (FSC) for testing.
On February 19, last Lorraine Alleyne, a Forensic Scientist in DNA attached to the FSC testified via an audio/visual link (Skype). She confirmed that the DNA test conducted on samples of the remains, which were provided by a member of the Guyana Police Force belonged to the murdered Queen’s College student.
She explained that the samples of human organs taken from a female corpse were a 99.98% match to samples from her mother’s Buccal swabs.
Following the analysis she prepared a DNA certificate and analysis with her results and findings.
Photos
Twenty- five photographs which were taken at the scene where the remains of murdered Queen’s College student were discovered were tendered as part of the evidence on February 5, last when Police Constable Leon George, attached to the Police Crime Lab, took the stand.
He presented shots of the scene at Emerald Tower Resort, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, the remains of a female contained in a bag, and the black, red, and white dumbbells which were found at the scene.
Police Corporal Lancelot Wittington also took the stand. The policeman told the court that he had taken photographic exposures of the teen’s body, during the PME. His photographs were tendered as evidence.
Several other persons testified in the matter. During the course of the trial, the court heard testimonies of confrontations conducted with the two accused and several other persons. The case continues tomorrow.
The following morning, Gopaul reportedly awoke and went to check to ensure Neesa was “really dead.” She didn’t want to touch the body with her hands; she poked it with a stick.
Gopaul reported her daughter missing and Small instructed her to wrap the body in a sheet and place it in a suitcase with the girl’s passport and Early Saver’s bank card to make it appear as if she had run away from home.
They reportedly took the weightlifting dumbbells which she had at her house and later used it to attach to the suitcase to keep it under water. She said that they returned to the Emerald Tower Resort where they dumped the body in a creek.
The witness said that Gopaul recounted that Small thereafter instructed her to pack their bags and that they were going to leave for Suriname but as she was in the process of doing so the following day the police came to the house.
The police told her that they had found Neesa’s body and she needed to go with them to identify it.
Floating Headless
in a Bag
Lance Corporal of Police, Germain Laundry who was part of the team of policemen who visited the crime scene, said that he had noticed a black suitcase floating in the (Madewini) Creek situated north to south along the Emerald Tower Resort.
The suitcase, the witness noted, was partly submerged in the water and when he checked there was a human hand hanging out of the bag.
Upon further investigation, the policeman noted that there was a red rope tied around the bag which seemed to be attached to something which was acting as an anchor. The witness said he got in, decided to cut the rope and brought the bag ashore with the assistance of another rank.
He said that the body of a female, a black gown and a Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry, (GBTI) Early Savers card, a GBTI Bank Book and a Guyanese passport in the name of Neesa Gopaul were unearthed.
The female‘s head, Laundry recalled, appeared to be bashed in.
Head of the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) in the case, Corporal Floyd Hossanah related too that a female’s body was found inside the black suitcase recovered at the scene. The body, he said, had no head, was barefooted and had a black and blue mark on the arm. He confirmed that the items were found.
Forensic analysis
Police Forensic analyst, Steven Greaves told the court that he had collected samples from the corpse and swab samples from her mother, grandfather and sister for the purpose of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing.
He later took them to the Barbados Forensic Sciences Center (FSC) for testing.
On February 19, last Lorraine Alleyne, a Forensic Scientist in DNA attached to the FSC testified via an audio/visual link (Skype). She confirmed that the DNA test conducted on samples of the remains, which were provided by a member of the Guyana Police Force belonged to the murdered Queen’s College student.
She explained that the samples of human organs taken from a female corpse were a 99.98% match to samples from her mother’s Buccal swabs.
Following the analysis she prepared a DNA certificate and analysis with her results and findings.
Photos
Twenty- five photographs which were taken at the scene where the remains of murdered Queen’s College student were discovered were tendered as part of the evidence on February 5, last when Police Constable Leon George, attached to the Police Crime Lab, took the stand.
He presented shots of the scene at Emerald Tower Resort, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, the remains of a female contained in a bag, and the black, red, and white dumbbells which were found at the scene.
Police Corporal Lancelot Wittington also took the stand. The policeman told the court that he had taken photographic exposures of the teen’s body, during the PME. His photographs were tendered as evidence.
Several other persons testified in the matter. During the course of the trial, the court heard testimonies of confrontations conducted with the two accused and several other persons. The case continues tomorrow.
source : kaieteurnewsonline
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