THE State’s case against nine men charged with the murder of Samdaye Rampersad is nearing its end, with the arresting officer taking the witness stand.

Yesterday, Insp Ancil Corbette took the stand before Justice Rajendra Narine and told the nine-member jury that he charged the nine men on January 9, 2006, four days after Rampersad’s body was exhumed from a shallow grave.

Corbette was cross-examined by defence attorney Owen Hinds Jr, who is representing Phillip ’The Boss’ Boodram.

During cross-examination, Corbette told Hinds that besides the evidence of the State’s main witness, Ryan Nigel ’Supercat’ Roderique, he had no independent evidence to link Boodram to the crime. Corbette added that he ’Supercat’ was never treated as a suspect during his investigations.

The officer agreed with Hinds, that in 1998 Roderique tried to implicate Boodram in another murder, but Boodram was not charged.

Before other attorneys could get the chance to question Corbette, the State re-called three other witnesses that defence attorneys wanted to question to avoid any more delays after Corbette’s testimony.

The first was Mervyn Rampersad, the brother of the murdered businesswoman. He was questioned by Pamela Elder, SC, who is leading Hinds in defence of Boodram, about ransom phone calls he received while his sister was held captive.

PC Cleaver Rose was next followed by Terry ’Sampie’ Waters, the brother-in-law of one of the murder accused, Roger Mootoo. Both men were cross-examined by defence attorneys before the matter was adjourned.

The matter continues today.

Nine men-Boodram, Kervin ’Arc Eye’ Williams, Vivian’Clarkie’ Clarke, Aaron ’Kenna’ Grappie, Steve ’Boops’ McGilvery, Pernell Martin, Ricky Singh, Roger Mootoo and Bobby Sankar-are charged with killing Rampersad, 45, whose decomposing body was dug out of a shallow grave in a wild cashew field in Claxton Bay on January 5, 2006, after she was snatched from her Irving Street, Petit Bourg, home on November 26, 2005.