Duo accused of murder opt for trial
A MURDER case at the Berbice Assizes took an unusual turn Monday when the two accused opted for a trial.
Justice Franklyn Holder was scheduled to rule on a Defence motion to quash the indictment when Gansham Jagassar called Suresh and Devindra Harrichand alias ‘Bara’ instructed their lawyers to withdraw the submission.
Last week, Defence Counsels, Kim Kyte-John and Vic Puran moved that the charge be quashed, on the ground that it is bad in law.
But, following the unexpected move by the prisoners, the first witness for the prosecution, Ralph Saunders, father of the victim, Gary Simon, took the stand.
He said he witnessed the post mortem examination on the body of his son at New Amsterdam Hospital mortuary on December 21, 2004, after which the remains were buried at Fyrish, Corentyne.
Under cross-examination by Puran, counsel for Jaggassar, Saunders said the deceased was a cane- harvester, five feet 11 inches tall, muscularly built and weighed 250 pounds.
Saunders, also a cane harvester, said he loved his offspring and had seen him a week before his demise. He agreed that the journey from Fyrish, where he lived, to Port Mourant Hospital was a 12 minutes drive and that to New Amsterdam Hospital 20 minutes.
Saunders said had he been made aware that his son was injured and hospitalised, he would have gone to the health institutions immediately. However, when he saw his corpse in the morgue, it was barefooted.
State Prosecutor Dionne Mc Cammon, in her opening address, said, on December 17, 2004, Simon and his reputed, Annette Samaroo, together with a friend named Rama, were sitting in Red Rose Bar, at Nigg Settlement, Corentyne, where the accused men were having alcoholic drinks before they inflicted injuries on the victim.
The wounded man was rushed to Port Mourant Hospital, then transferred to New Amsterdam Hospital where he succumbed the following day.
The prosecutor said the autopsy performed by Dr. Vivikanand Brijmohan, found that death was due to shock and haemorrhage and incised wounds.
Meanwhile, a third accused, Abdussalam Azimullah for whom an arrest warrant was issued, remains at large.
The trial of the other two is continuing.