A man accused of murdering and burying two Cedros brothers 14 years ago is claiming that he only signed interview notes which he claimed were fabricated by the police because he thought he was going to be allowed to go home.
This came out in the trial yesterday as Insp Peter Ramdeen who had interviewed Kareem Guadeloupe, was cross-examined by defence attorney Larry Williams in the San Fernando Second Criminal Assizes.
Guadeloupe is before Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds charged with murdering brothers Nigel, 23, and Neil, 25, Seebaran at their Syfoo Trace, Granville home.
They went missing on November 17, 2005 and on January 12, 2006 their bodies were found huddled in a grave about 100 feet to the back of their home.
In his evidence, Ramdeen said on June 3, 2009, an officer from the Point Fortin Police Station called him on his cellphone and spoke with him.
He then spoke to someone who identified himself as the accused. Nine days later, Ramdeen met Guadeloupe and his common-law wife Anna Hope in a room at the Homicide Bureau of Investigations in San Fernando.
He said Guadeloupe did not object to being interviewed, saying, “I come forward to talk to you.”
Guadeloupe, he said, then gave his account of the incident and he (Ramdeen) asked him several questions.
Ramdeen said Guadeloupe and Hope signed the interview notes.
Under cross examination, Guadeloupe’s attorney suggested to Ramdeen that his client did not tell him (Ramdeen) that he wanted to speak to him about the brothers’ deaths.
“You are incorrect,” replied Ramdeen.
Williams suggested to Ramdeen that he asked Guadeloupe his personal background information, left the room for about an hour and came back with prepared interview notes.
“The interview notes were a mixture of bio data information taken from Guadeloupe, intimate details you have about the deaths and whatever else the police sought to put in there.”
Denying all the suggestions, Ramdeen said he did not leave the room except with the accused for a bathroom break.
The officer said he had intimate details about the brothers' death from his personal investigations into the matter prior to him interviewing Guadeloupe, but denied that the interview notes were fabricated. He said everything written on the interview notes were told to him by the accused.
Williams also suggested to Ramdeen that when he returned to the room with “the prepared interview notes” he asked the accused if he could read and write.
Williams said his client reportedly told the officer: “He can’t read all that good but if that is about going home you don’t have to read nothing.”
He said the accused then signed the interview notes and also told Hope to sign the paperwork as he was going home. Ramdeen said those claims were not true.
Attorney Michelle Ali is instructing Williams while State attorneys Stacy Laloo-Chong and Joanne Forrester are prosecuting the case.
The trial continues today.