Man gets life for murder |24 November 2012

When summing up, Mr Burhan told the jury they were the ones to decide on the facts of the case.

“You should not allow my view of the facts to influence you in any way but you are bound by my directions in respect of the law. It is for you to decide on the whole of the evidence whether the prosecution has discharged its burden in proving the charge against the accused and if you the members of the jury are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the inculpatory facts are incompatible with the innocence of the accused and incapable of explanation upon any other reasonable hypothesis other than that of the guilt of the accused you must find the accused guilty,” he told them.

“If you have reasonable doubt in that case you must give the benefit of that doubt to the accused and acquit him,” he said before the jury retired to make their decision.

He also told them he was available for them to consult but they could only do so in an open court in the presence of the then accused and his defence lawyer.
The jury reached their verdict at 8.30pm.

Principal state counsel David Esparon appeared with state counsel Vipin Benjamin for the republic in the case while Anthony Derjacques defended Barra.