The last time Rampersad Lakhan saw his youngest daughter Radha “Pixie” Lakhan alive she was leaving their home in Siparia for school, dressed in her uniform. A month later Rampersad went to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where he was shown a skeleton, which he identified as his daughter’s by the hair. The father died in 2007, two years after Lakhan was murdered, but yesterday his evidence from the Siparia Magistrates Court was read to the jury trying the case against Paul Vincent, 32.
Vincent is before Justice Mark Mohammed in the San Fernando High Court accused of raping and strangling 16-year-old Lakhan and Taramatee Toolsie, 40, weeks apart in Siparia in 2005.
Lakhan’s skeletal remains were found in the bush close to her home at Spring Trace. Toolsie’s decomposing body was found three days after she went missing in bushes near her La Brea Trace home. The victims lived not far from each other. Yesterday Lakhan’s mother Surujdaye produced her husband’s death certificate.
After granting state attorney Tricia Hudlin-Cooper’s application to put Rampersad’s deposition into evidence, the judge read it to the jury. Rampersad said then that the last time he saw his daughter alive was around 7.30 am on March 22, 2005 when she left their home at Spring Trace. He said around 3.30 pm, when Radha did not return home, he went looking but did not find her. He made a report to the Siparia Police Station. Rampersad said around 5.30 am on April 22, 2005, the police blocked off his street.
When he walked down the road he was approached by a policeman who opened a plastic bag and showed him his daughter’s school books, bag and uniform. At the Forensic Science Centre on April 25, 2005, Rampersad said: “I was called into a room with my nephew. I was shown a skeleton lying on a table. I identified the skeleton as my daughter Radha Lakhan. I identified her by the hair.” He said officer Nemai then showed him his daughter’s bag, pencilcase and books which he identified by her handwriting. Kemdath Dookee, a neighbour who grew up with Toolsie, said he noticed a man walking behind Toolsie around 5.30 am the morning she went missing, but he did not pay any attention to it.
The trial continues today.