Trial in the murder case of British teenager will begin on April 5 in Goa, a local court said on Friday.
Goa Children’s court President B.P. Deshpande this morning said the first set of 10 witnesses who saw the victim’s dead body lying on Anjuna beach shore on February 18, 2008 would be examined by the prosecution.
Public Prosecutor S.R. Rivonkar representing CBI said these witnesses also include Spanish girl, Ruby Caso, who was partying with the deceased hours before her body was found.
“She (Ruby) is not in Goa and we will try to get her witness through video conferencing,” Mr. Rivonkar told reporters outside the court.
He said in all 72 witnesses would be examined to establish the charges levelled against accused Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho.
CBI in their chargesheet filed on October 14, 2009 had charged both the accused under various sections of the IPC and the Goa Children’s Act.
The chargesheet mentions that the victim, who had come down to Goa with her mother, had visited several restaurants and ‘Bean Me Up’ pub with Ruby before she came to Anjuna shore, alone.
On the fateful night, when the deceased arrived at Luis Cafe on Anjuna shore, she was already intoxicated. Accused Samson D’Souza offered her drinks and she was led to kitchen by him with criminal intention of committing rape.
According to the chargesheet, the second accused Placido Carvalho, was present in the shack, and was sniffing cocaine, when she arrived. CBI investigations have revealed that Samson decided to give intoxicating drugs to the teenager so that she could be incapacitated and it would be easy for him to commit the heinous crime.
The central agency has said that both the accused lined up cocaine for the victim and later gave her beer and ecstasy tablet.
Investigations have revealed that Samson assaulted her “with criminal force to outrage her modesty.” She was later left on the beach near the water line.
“She was left at the beach with the knowledge that it was likely to cause her death,” the CBI chargesheet says.
Samson was arrested by Goa police, investigating the case then, on March 9, 2008 and Placido on March 13, 2008.
