A 12-member jury was empanelled before Justice James Bovell-Drakes at the opening of the Demerara Criminal Assizes on Tuesday to hear the case of Abiola Jacobs, who denied that she killed her estranged boyfriend’s mother, Donna Taylor, over the differences she had with the woman’s son.
Jacobs, who was a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Private at the time of the woman’s demise, entered a not guilty plea when the murder indictment was presented by State Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Mandell Moore.
According to reports, the then 55-year-old Taylor, a housewife, was attacked on January 31, 2014 while in bed after 23:00h. Her throat was slit after she was dragged to the back of the Agricola, East Bank Demerara flat that she rented. Her hands were also bound, and she was found by a neighbour lying in a motionless state.
Taylor’s overseas-based friend, who was staying in the upper flat, Samantha Sabatt was injured after she jumped from the window of the two-storey house when persons invaded the Lot 16-17 Agricola property. Taylor’s cause of death was given as shock and haemorrhage due to incised wounds compounded with blunt trauma to head. Jacobs, of 55 Evans Phillips Park, Agricola, was arrested by Police just days after the woman’s attack and was subsequently charged with her murder.
At the opening of the trial, Taylor’s son, Bertum Taylor Junior, testified to the relationship he shared with Jacobs and to the events that led up to his mother’s demise.
About 14 witnesses are expected to testify during the trial. The accused woman is being represented by defence counsel Adrian Thompson.
