Days after Marcelle Collymore, the daughter of murdered housewife Donna Taylor testified that the accused Abiola Jacobs and her mother had a fight on the day of her mother’s demise, Police Superintendent Joel David confirmed that the accused informed him that she spoke with Taylor on the day of her death. The Policeman gave this evidence as he testified at the High Court before Justice James Bovell-Drakes on Tuesday where he also noted that the survivor of the attack; Samantha Sabbatt placed Jacobs at the scene of the January 31, 2014 ordeal at Agricola, Greater Georgetown.
housewife Donna Taylor
Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Private Abiola Jacobs is currently on trial for allegedly murdering 55-year-old Taylor, who was the mother of her estranged boyfriend, Bertum Taylor Jr. The murdered housewife was found lying on her back with her hands behind her and her shirt wrapped around her neck.
During Superintendent David’s testimony on Tuesday, he recalled that he charged Jacobs, who told him that after speaking with Donna Taylor earlier in the day, she went home at about 18:00h where she was with her mother and son. David added that Jacobs informed him it was her friend “Boogie” who told her that something had happened to Taylor, claiming that she later was accompanied by her mother to Taylor’s home where she learnt the woman was murdered.
The Police witness added that he noticed injuries on Samantha Sabbatt, Taylor’s overseas-based friend who was staying in the upper flat. David added that a confrontation was held between Sabbatt and Jacobs in his presence, where Sabbatt recalled hearing a banging on the bedroom door. The 12-member jury heard that a male voice then called out “Open, open!” and that she witnessed the defendant, Jacobs peeping through the lattice work. As a result, Sabbatt escaped through a bedroom window into the verandah, where she fell to the ground, according to the recollection of the senior Police rank.
Also testifying on Tuesday was Police Corporal Melanie Hale, who told the court that on February 1, 2014, at 06:50h, she went to Taylor’s address where she arrested Jacobs and escorted her to the Ruimveldt Police Station. She noted that on February 4, 2014, Jacobs was charged with the murder and was arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on the following day.
Under cross-examination by Defence Counsel Adrian Thompson, Corporal Hale denied suggestions that several persons were present at the time she arrested Jacobs at the Taylors’ residence. The Policewoman maintained that she never met Jacobs’ mother at the Taylors. The lawyer suggested that the witness was fabricating her entire story which the Police Corporal outright denied.
Later on, the jury was excused, and proceedings were held in voir dire (trial within a trial) after Thompson raised certain objections to prosecution’s line of questioning. State Counsels Lisa Cave and Mandell Moore are presenting with the prosecution’s case which continues before Justice Bovell-Drakes.
