RICHARD Hugh, the alleged eye-witness to the murder of Saheed Mohamed called ‘Zico’, by the accused father and son(Tiger & Dickie), told the jury that Zico was armed with a knife behind his back. Hugh, a cane-cutter was being cross-examined by defence counsel Mr. Bernard De Santos, S.C. when he admitted that when ‘Zico’ was grabbed by ‘Tiger’ he (Zico) had the knife behind his back.
The witness who said that Zico was his drinking partner told Mr.Justice Winston Patterson and the mixed jury in answer to Mr. De Santos that, he and Zico had drank over two bottles of Vodka earlier that morning when Tiger entered a rum shop yard and slapped Zico, following a conversation between them.
Witness said that they all went away after this incident but the parties reappeared later, including Zico who returned with a knife wrapped in a T Shirt.
De Santos suggested to the witness that he was a liar and was not present when the story, he related as having seen, took place.
After the witness denied the suggestion, counsel told the former cane-cutter that his own evidence would disclose that he was not around when the incident took place.
At this stage, in answer to further questions from Senior Counsel, Hugh explained that after he saw Zico returned with a knife he became worried about this and exhorted Zico to hand over the knife to the  owner of the rum-shop premises.
Witness said that after Zico failed to carry out his instructions, he decided to go home and left the premises with two 4-gallon buckets to collect water from the well for use at his home.
In his evidence in Chief, the witness, Richard Hugh of Mon Repos testified that on the day in question, he, Zico and Cedric August, called ‘Bam-Bam’ who operates a rum shop and restaurant in the area, had been drinking.
According to him, while they were drinking, Dickie was coming from the sea-wall and said that some dogs had eaten his pigs; he (Dickie) was in front of Bam-Bam premises.
Zico thereupon said that some dogs had eaten his chicken. Dickie turned and said… “I was not talking to you.”
Dickie then said you want me to come into the yard and slap you. He then went into the yard and slapped Zico, witness said.

Witness Hugh said that at this stage Zico left and, he the witness, also left for home.
Witness said that he collected two buckets at his home and was going back when he saw Tiger and Dickie. Witness put down his buckets and stopped to see what would happen. He said that he saw Dickie pulled out a piece of wood from a corner fence.
Hugh testified that Tiger walked up to Zico who was trying to tell him about the problem between his son and Zico. Tiger then held on to Zico while Dickie lashed Zico on the head… hitting him three lashes with the wood and giving him a cuff.
Witness said that Zico who later fell unconscious was taken to the Georgetown Hospital where he died.
Ms. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin is conducting the case for the prosecution, in association with lawyer Miss Konyo Sandiford.
Further hearing continues today before Justice Winston Patterson and a mixed jury at the Demerara Assizes.