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Unlawful killing of Sharon Sooklall, 17-
Confession statement read in Court
By George Barclay
JUSTICE James Bovell-Drakes has concluded that the confession statement by one accused in the trial of two brothers for the unlawful killing of a schoolgirl was freely and voluntarily made.

The judge arrived at this conclusion after conducting a voir dire (a trial within a trial) to determine the admissibility of the confession statement. The statement was made by Vickram Budram, who with his brother, Vinood Persaud, is accused of the murder of Sharon Sooklall on February 28, 2001at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
Yesterday, Sergeant Doobay read aloud the statement, which the Prosecution claimed had been witnessed by the mother of the accused and a District Postmaster.

Sergeant Doobay read: “I make this statement of my own free will. I have been told that I need not say anything unless I wish to do so and that whatever I say may be given in evidence.

“Officer, today is Friday. Day before yesterday, Wednesday, around midday time, me go out ah front and me see Sharon under de tree and she ask me for sapodilla. Me tell she we does hide sapodilla under the fat poke tree. Me and she went under de fat poke for de sapodilla. Me go from behind she and push she down. She fell pon she face.

“She start to halla and me took me hand and block she mouth. She bite me pon the third finger pon me left hand. Me took me hand and choke she pon de ground and me cuff she two time in she head and she got unconscious. Then me hold she by she hand and drag she over the west lot den me took off she white flowerish panty and me had sex wid she.

“When me done sex she me took she panty and tie it round she neck foh mek sure that she bin dead. Me meck sure that de girl dead because she know me and me din want she foh talk pon me because me frighten me get lock up by the police.

“Me left Sharon and went to we back dam and bring we shovel. When me meet where Sharon bin dead me cut the shovel stick in half wid me cutlass. Den me dig a hole. Me took off she two finger rings den me put she in de hole and cover she.

“Den me took she shoulder bag and two pair shoes wha bin in de bag and she school books and me carry it and burn it. Me den left and go back ah front. Den me see me buddy Vinood come from the road and he go by the trench and wash he clothes and den me udder bruda Mukesh come out at de front and he ask me foh help he bail up some water pump hose.

“After me done bail up de hose, me and he pick five finger and eat am. And while eating the five finger, he ask me how ah get scrape. After dat me uda bruda Vijay come up. Me tell he that ah bin riding bicycle doing none hand and me fall down. And me tell him me get scrape. Den me give Mukesh de bicycle foh carry home de horse.”

The statement further recorded the accused as saying that on the night while a search party was looking for Sharon, he threw Sharon’s rings in a trench in front of their house.

The accused also said that all the scatches on his neck and shoulder had been inflicted by Sharon while they were fighting.

According to Prosecution, the victim was last seen alive on the morning of February 28, 2001 when she left her home to attend computer classes at Anna Catherina.

The hearing continues today.