2 Morvant men freed of 2008 double murder

AFTER more than a decade on remand, two men were freed of a 2008 double murder.

Shane “Wacko” Rogers and Nathan Waldron, both of Second Caledonia Road, Morvant, were before Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds in a judge-only trial. They were charged with the murders of Jawara Oba Yearwood, 19, and Shivonne Depradine, 17, both of Dinsley Gardens, Tacarigua, on March 5, 2008.

The two were found lying next to each other at a house on 11th Street, Barataria. A piece of electric cord and belt was used to tie their hands and they were shot behind their heads.

The prosecution attempted to have the evidence of the State’s main witness, in the form of depositions and witness statements, introduced at the trial in an application under the Evidence Act on the basis that he was out of the jurisdiction, no reasonable steps could be taken to secure his attendance at the trial or he could not be found.

To support the application, a police officer was called to testify. He spoke of his attempts to locate the witness for the trial which began in January. The date for the trial was fixed on April 20, 2023.

In cross-examination, the officer admitted there were steps he could have taken to locate the witness but did not, admitting that there had been no contact with the witness since 2008.

Ramsumair-Hinds dismissed the State’s application. She held that the police did not take all reasonable steps to locate the witness so the application failed since it did not meet the threshold provided for under the Evidence Act to allow the statements.

She said there were easy and obvious practical steps that the police could have taken which would have cost them nothing yet they failed to do so. She further noted that the court could not close those gaps in the evidence.

Ramsumair-Hinds advocated for training and sensitisation exercises for the police to guide them on the steps they must take for such applications.

Rogers was represented by attorneys Wayne Sturge and Danielle Rampersad. Waldron was represented by Wayne Sturge, Collin Selvon, Randall Raphael and Survana Jaimangal.

The State was represented by Charmaine Samuel.