AN excavator operator was yesterday charged with the brazen Turkeyen Public Road murder of a businessman which occurred during the course of a daring daylight robbery. Thirty-two-year-old Sherwin Trotman of Lot 45 Section ‘D’, South Turkeyen, was not required to plead to the indictable charge when he made his appearance before Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The charge alleged that on June 1, at University of Guyana Road, Turkeyen, being in the company of another, he murdered Cane Grove rice farmer Hardat Kissoon.
Trotman who was unrepresented in court stated that he was not placed on any identification parade nor was there any statements or witnesses in the matter.
The accused further stated that he was arrested and shown a video with two individuals on a motorcycle. According to Trotman, he could not make out the images on the video since it was blurry. He further stated that he was asked by two police officers, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Michael Caesar and Sergeant Sarabo, if he did the shooting and his response to them was no. They then told him that they were holding him as the rider of the motorcycle, Trotman said.
The murder accused claimed that a Sergeant at the station, whom he identified as Sergeant Seeram, handed a phone to him and said that he should make contact with his relatives to bring $2M.
Meanwhile, Police Prosecutor Denero Jones said that the entire incident was captured on a CCTV camera.
Trotman was remanded to prison and the matter was transferred to Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for July 8.

According to investigations, 42-year-old businessman Kissoon of Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, was travelling in a Route 44 minibus when another man in the vehicle requested to get off the loaded bus. As the man was passing Kissoon, it is alleged that he pulled out a firearm and held him at gunpoint and demanded a bag which he had in his possession.
A struggle ensued over the bag during which Kissoon was shot to his chest and the perpetrator escaped with the bag. Kissoon was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

By Geeta Rampersaud