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) PAGE 14THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MARCH 5, 2003 www.durhamrcr3i0n.com Voodoo acts' caused wife's death: accused BY STEPHEN SHAW Staff Writer WHITBY - A satellite tracking device planted by a police surveillance team on murder suspect Gancsh Raghunauth's vehicle alerted them as the Pickering Pickering man drove toward the US border, prior to his arrest. arrest. The Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system, which relies on a satellite signal to tail a vehicle, was secretly installed on the accused's accused's Toyota 4Runner in mid-June 2000 during the investigation into the death of his wife, court heard. Hemoulie (Gecta) Raghunauth, 28, died of cyanide poisoning in the couple's Beaton Way home on Mother's Day, May 14, 2000. Mr. Raghunauth, 31, has pleaded not guilty to first- degree murder. Detective Sergeant Steve filing, head of the Durham Regional Police homicide unit, said Mr. Raghunauth was placed under surveillance shortly after the investigation began into his wife's death. A few weeks into the probe Mr. Raghunauth was charged by Toronto Police with defrauding a former employer, and released on bail June 20, 2000. He was ordered not to leave Ontario or possess travel documents as part of the terms of his release, the Superior Court jury trial was told Monday. But at 8:30 p.m. on June 28, the GPS system showed Mr. Raghunauth driving down the Queen Elizabeth Way, over the Burlington Skyway, and headed in the direction of the US border at Niagara Falls. Sgt. Pat Davidson of Durham's surveillance team alerted Del. Sgt. filing and police hastily contacted border points, the detective testified. Mr. Raghunauth was arrested arrested at 9:55 p.m. by US customs, he testified. "He tried to get across the Rainbow Bridge... Mr. Raghunauth actually made Oslma • Wliilby • Chrington • POit IVny This Week i FM0P «ROUGH Your Community Newspaper since 1970 lib ©la Sa lia Va til *1 i©@% is kept by figp your carrier. 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In an earlier statement he gave the detective, Mr. Raghunauth Raghunauth had said his wife had been healthy and that lie didn't know how she died. The second videotaped statement, statement, shown lo jurors Monday, began with a confrontational tone, unlike the friendly first interview interview earlier in May. "There's no doubt in my mind, Gancsh, you are responsible responsible for the death of Hemoulie," Del. Sgt. filing says at the start. Mr. Raghunauth protests his innocence. "God knows and 1 know. I'm innocent. My wife was the best thing that I could have ever had... 1 never did anything wrong to her... Never did," he said. He then suggested "voodoo," or evil spirits caused his wife's death. "I don't know how well you know or how well you believe in voodooism, but Gecta was sick through voodooism acts," he said. Court heard Mrs. Raghunauth was often sick with strange illnesses illnesses and was taken by her husband husband and family to their native Guyana, and another time to New York, to sec Hindu priests to rid her of Obeah, or evil spir its. "The priest said there's someone someone who did a big voodoo act on her, and that's why she was behaving behaving that way," Mr. Raghunauth Raghunauth said. Del. Sgt. filing told the accused, accused, "You're a bright man... you cannot possibly expect me, unless you think I'm a fool, to accept the voodoo." Mr. Raghunauth replied, "I'm just being honest with you." Prosecutors say Mr. Raghunauth Raghunauth was having an affair with Indira Seonarain, a New York woman he was engaged to three weeks prior to his wife's death. He told Del. Sgt. filing that Ms. Seonarain was "a friend I met from on-line" in a computer chat room, and their relationship was platonic. He said their engagement - he bought her a $2,200 diamond ring - was a lark to convince Ms. Seonarain's parents she was marrying, as a favour to her. "She has another fiance, she's ' going to be married next year ' anyways, that's about it. Indira is nobody to me," he said in the , interview. "1 haven't had an af- . fair since I knew Gecta, since , I've been married." Mr. Raghunauth also said his ' wife knew about the engagement hoax. "Gecta knew her, Gecta understood... knew we were ; friends. Gecta trusted me," he ■ said. Police seized love letters by Mr. Raghunauth and Ms. Seonarain to each other by email. All Halenda's Stores Have Meat Cutters on Loca will gladly custom cut anything for you! Questions or Comments e-mail us at hakndasmeats@rogers.com All Halenda's stores have meat cutters on location & we will gladly"^ custom cut for you! 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