Attempted murder victim cross-examined about attack at retrial
DEODAT Ramoutar called Alex told Justice Brassington Reynolds and a mixed Berbice Assizes jury, on Tuesday, that he was returning his children to their mother at her snackette along Rosignol Stelling Road, when his reversing vehicle accidentally crashed into her business premises. He said, after the collision, Indira Ragubeer’s son, nephew and brother, armed with beer bottles lashed him about his head, before he could explain what contributed to the mishap.
The witness was giving evidence at the retrial of Imran, Ameer Ally and Chetraj Ragubeer called Vicky, who are indicted on two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and causing greivous bodily harm with intent on March 25, 2006, at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice.
Ramoutar said, whilst he held his head, Imran Ally, Ragubeer’s brother, pulled a long knife from his waist and slashed him across his abdomen.
“I felt a burning and wetness. I removed my hand from my head and held unto my belly instead. Imran Ally then gashed my right hand. I fell to my knees whilst holding unto my belly,” the virtual complainant said.
He added that Chetram Ragubeer, Indira’s nephew, who knew him for between 12 to 14 years, than struck him on the head also with a beer bottle which broke and he was wounded on his forehead with it.
Ramoutar explained that he remained on his knees while persons who gathered, from a nearby barbecue, attempted to put him in his motor car and take him to his brother’s residence.
However, Imran Ally warned Kota (only name stated) who sought to rescue him, to keep out the family matter.
According to Ramoutar, he supported himself and a snackette employee named Babita assisted by tying his belly and he single-handedly drove to his brother’s photo studio, a short distance away, from where he was taken to receive medical attention at Fort Wellington Cottage Hospital and police ranks visited him there later.
Referred
Ramoutar said, after spending two days at the institution, he was referred to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) and was a patient there for a similar number of days before being discharged.
He said he returned to the home of his brother, Deonarimne Madramatoo, during the time he was there, he revisited the Fort Wellington Hospital for medical care.
The witness was cross-examined by Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, who challenged notes from the previous trial and caused his line of questioning to be deferred until they were accessed.
Ramoutar said he knew Kota from childhood and, although they are not friends, they are well known to each other.
About why Kota would question Alex’s identification if the former was known to him, the witness responded that blood flowed from his face and may have made him unrecognisable.
Ramoutar admitted taking the children out that evening but denied he did so without their mother’s permission. He also refuted a suggestion of being under the influence of alcohol and that Indira Ragubeer had made several reports of threats and assault against him.
Describing himself as an occasional drinker of alcohol, the witness said he did not know if his children’s mother had taken her brassiere and her gasolene soaked jersey to Blairmont Police Station but he was questioned by police who suggested that he threw the fuel on Indira Ragubeer and attempted to light her afire.
He acknowledged that Comfort Zone is housed in the same building as his workplace and that he would go to the drinking spot regularly as he is a committee member of the co-op society.
The witness could not recall whether there was a barbecue event a short distance away from where the incident occurred, nor could he remember if he had on a shirt. He said he overheard Imran Ally asking: “What is going on here?” but not hearing Indira Ragubeer replying: ”Alex throw gasolene on me and he trying to bounce my head.”
Ramoutar said it was not true he set the mother of his children afire and assaulted her elderly mother, resulting in two of the accused going to the women’s rescue.
State Prosecutor Dionne Mc Cammon, in her opening remarks, said, after returning the children to their mother at Rosignol Stelling, an argument erupted between Ramoutar and Indira Ragubeer, As a result, her son, Ameer Ally, nephew Chetram Ragubeer and brother, Imran Ally, joined the fracas and, without giving him a chance to explain, lashed Ramoutar about his body with beer bottles.
Mc Cammon said a knife was used to inflict injuries including a 31 centimeters wound on the man’s belly, in addition to those on his forehead and left arm.
The trial is continuing.