A 12-member jury was on Tuesday empanelled to hear the case of 24-year-old Avishkar Bissoon and 74-year-old Ganga Krishna, who were charged for three counts of murder. The jury was empanelled before Justice Brassington at the High Court.
Bissoon, formerly of Sheriff Street, Campbellville, and Krishna, also called “Buddie” and “Scientist”, formerly of North Road, Bourda, Georgetown, both pleaded not guilty to the indictments which detailed that on November 14, 2014, at Lot 65 King and Robb Streets, Georgetown, they murdered 14-year-old Clarissa Rozario and her 11-year-old sister, Tressa Rozario.
The accused are also facing a murder charge for the death of 63-year-old Hilrod Thomas, the teens’ father, who succumbed while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital for second and third degrees burns.
Attorneys-at-Law Dexter Todd and Mursalin Bacchus are representing the two accused, while Prosecutors Seeta Bishundial in association with Lisa Cave are presenting the case on behalf of the State.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan back in January of 2017 committed the duo to stand trial at the High Court after a prima facie case was made out against them.
A number of witnesses are expected to be called throughout the trial, as hearings commence today before Justice Reynolds.
It was reported that the two sisters were asleep when the Robb Street, Georgetown, building they occupied with their father was allegedly set on fire. The teens were trapped in the early morning inferno and were burnt to death, whilst their father jumped through a window to escape the flames but subsequently died.
Investigations took Police two years to crack the case, and it was only until a drug addict reportedly confessed to Police that he was offered money to set the building under dispute on fire that the events began to unfold.
Police believe that the building was torched to drive out the occupants, who were also claiming ownership of the property by prescriptive rights.
