A KEY witness in a Supreme Court murder trial has given his version of events from the night a farm labourer was murdered near Griffith in 2009.
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The charred remains of Ranjodh Singh’s body were discovered by passing motorists near Wilga Road on December 29.
His throat had been cut twice and he had been stabbed in the back before being doused with petrol and set alight.
Witness Gurpreet Singh told the Supreme Court in Albury how, on the night of the murder, his wife Harpreet Kaur Bhullar had driven to Wilga Road after a birthday party for the accused, Harpreet Singh, at the couple’s Griffith unit.
Gurpreet Singh had been in the passenger seat, while the
victim and accused sat in the back seat.
The court heard 26-year-old Ranjodh Singh was drunk and was being supported by Harpreet Singh.
According to the witness, Bhullar was told by Harpreet Singh to drive to Wagga and, after driving for some time, she was told to stop.
“He told my wife to stop the car for a drink. He asked my wife for the keys,” Gurpreet Singh said.
He said Ranjodh Singh was lifted under the arm by
Harpreet Singh and assisted from the car.
Gurpreet Singh remained in the front passenger seat and Bhullar in the driver’s seat.
“They both got out and they are gone from there,” Gurpreet Singh said.
“After two or three minutes, I heard the boot open.”
He described seeing a bright light outside after a short period of time.
“I just opened the door and went near the boot. There was a fire,” Gurpreet Singh said.
He gave an indication of how high the flames reached, estimating 1200 to 1500 millimetres, and said Harpreet Singh had come from near the fire towards the car.
“He told me to get into the car. I had seen a knife in his hand,” Gurpreet Singh said.
The witness alleged Bhullar had asked: “What happened. What happened?” and the response from Harpreet Singh was: “I have done the job. I have killed him.”
Harpreet Singh allegedly gave the car keys back to Bhullar and asked for a box of tissues to wipe the knife.
He then told Bhullar to drive to a Griffith car wash so the vehicle could be cleaned.
Harpreet Singh, 26, has pleaded not guilty to murder, while Gurpreet Singh and Bhullar have already been sentenced after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder.
The trial continues.
