Seelall Dipnarine walked out of the Berbice High Court a free man on Friday after a jury unanimously found him not guilty of murder or manslaughter in the burning death of his wife, Tavita Natasha Lall.
Dipnarine, 54, called “Narei,” had been accused of pushing Lall into a kerosene stove at their Number 64 Village, Corentyne home on January 7, 2022.
Lall, a 42-year-old mother of four and cleaner at Tagore Memorial Secondary School, suffered extensive burns. She later died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
The verdict ended a trial before Justice Gino Persaud in which the prosecution and defence presented sharply different accounts of how Lall was burned.
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on statements Lall reportedly made after the incident. Her son, daughter-in-law and a doctor testified that she identified Dipnarine as the person who pushed her into the stove.
State Counsel Merissa Edwards also presented part of a video-recorded police interview in which Dipnarine was reportedly heard saying that he had pushed Lall. The interview was conducted while she was still alive.
According to the prosecution, Dipnarine later changed his account after he was imprisoned and charged with murder, claiming that Lall had poured kerosene on herself and set herself alight.
Edwards argued that his revised account was influenced by other prisoners.
The prosecutor also pointed to evidence that Dipnarine placed the stove in the hall and that police later observed burn marks on the floor and wall in that area.
Edwards further highlighted Lall’s reported declaration that she would “fight for my life,” questioning whether those were the words of someone who intended to take her own life.
Defence attorney Vinay Punwa challenged the prosecution’s version, arguing that the physical evidence did not support the claim that Dipnarine pushed his wife into the stove.
Punwa drew the jury’s attention to evidence that the stove had not moved from its position when police arrived.
“The prosecution wants you to believe that he pushed her into the stove. The stove did not move. How does that make sense?” he asked.
The defence also introduced evidence that Lall had previously spoken about taking her own life during periods of difficulty and had reportedly made two previous attempts.
Punwa referred to a statement Lall allegedly gave to police in which she said Dipnarine told her, “If you want to burn yourself, dead.”
He also highlighted testimony that Lall asked her mother to forgive her while she was being transported by ambulance.
The prosecution urged jurors not to speculate about what Lall meant by that request. Edwards acknowledged the testimony about Lall’s previous attempts but maintained that jurors should focus on her reported statements identifying Dipnarine.
Before deliberations began, Justice Persaud reviewed evidence from 16 witnesses, two caution statements, two video-recorded interviews and the post-mortem report.
He cautioned jurors against speculation and explained the evidence they could properly consider regarding the possibility of suicide.
The judge also reminded the jury that Dipnarine had a legal right to give an unsworn statement and not enter the witness box. He stressed that the decision could not be held against him.
Jurors were directed to consider manslaughter if they were not satisfied that the prosecution had proven the elements and intent required for murder.
After deliberating, the jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on both charges.
Following his acquittal, Dipnarine said he was pleased with the outcome and maintained his innocence. He said he plans to resume his life and return to working at sea as a fisherman.
