A plot to rob, idol worshipping and a multi-million dollar inheritance formed part of the evidence heard by a jury in the San Fernando High Court, at the beginning of the murder trial of the man accused of killing prominent businessman Dr Ravi Maharaj.
Ten years ago, Maharaj, 63, was brutally beaten in his Chacon Street, San Fernando, home and on Thursday, Pleasantville resident Roger Greene, 38, went on trial before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas charged with his murder.
The murder took place on January 11, 2006.
In his opening address to the jury, state attorney Trevor Jones spoke of accused Roger Greene confessing to his neighbour about the murder.
Jones also listed several injuries inflicted upon the doctor’s body, including a broken neck and head injuries.
Jones said Maharaj was last seen alive around 6.30 am by his common-law wife Sumatee Enal.
She left him sleeping in the library, went to the gym and then to his businessplace in San Fernando.
Maharaj was supposed to call Enal, Jones said.
And when she did not hear from her husband, Enal tried calling his phone several times without success.
She became worried and returned home, said Jones. She found several louvres missing and the burglar proof “raised.”
Jones said Enal found her husband lying face down under a desk in the library.
His hands were tied behind his back and a cloth was in his mouth.
She called the police.
When he arrived at the hospital, Maharaj had a pulse, Jones said, and for 40 minutes CPR was performed on him without success.
Jones said Greene’s neighbour, Brian Worrell, who was one of three suspects in the case, told police that Greene confessed to him.
Jones told the jury they will hear from Worrell, who was granted immunity by the Director of Public Prosecutions in exchange for his testimony against Greene.
Worrell will testify that the day before Maharaj’s murder Greene hired him to take him to a house in Couva where he met a man.
On their way back from Couva, Worrell claimed Greene told him he had a “job to go on.” Greene told him there was a safe in a house with $100,000 to $150,000.
Greene hired Worrell to transport him, and the following morning Worrell dropped him at the corner of Chacon and Penitence Streets, near the doctor’s home.
Jones told the jury when Worrell picked up Greene in Vistabella that afternoon, Greene told him the man did not want to tell him where the safe was located.
Greene allegedly told Worrell the man was an idol worshipper because he worshipped Hare Krishna and God don’t like idol worshipping.
Worrell, Jones said, claimed Greene gave him $500 and gold rings in a bandana to keep for him.
Worrell said he hid the items and a few days later Greene returned for them.
Greene was arrested by Cpl Curt Simon in February 2006.
Jones said an autopsy revealed death was due to multiple blunt traumatic injuries, including a broken neck and fractured cervical spine.
Maharaj’s niece, Roshini Singh, was the first witness to testify.
Under cross-examination by Greene’s attorney Kwasi Bekoe, she claimed her uncle lived alone when he was killed.
Singh said there was a legal battle over her uncle’s body after Enal, his worker, claimed to be his common-law wife.
She said her uncle owned several “extremely valuable” businesses, including three properties in San Fernando and two in Toronto, and Enal benefited from this inheritance.
Sgt Gregory Hood, an official police draftsman, testified yesterday and several drawings of the crime scene were shown to the jury.
He was cross-examined by Bekoe’s instructing attorney Jared Ali.
The trial continues Monday.