Businessman agrees $750,000 settlement with freed murder accused
BUSINESSMAN Errol Azar has agreed to make an ex gratia payment, of $750,000, to freed murder accused Dorsette Mc Cammon, who previously filed a $50M claim against him, for trespass, in the High Court. The settlement was reached on Tuesday following a hearing, in chambers, presided over by Justice William Ramlal.
Azar, accompanied by attorney-at-law Mr. Ramesh Rajkumar said he wanted to bring the matter to a close and free himself from the stress and other health related issues which may arise from a Court case.
He called the act a favour of gratitude as he did not accept any liability.
The initial sum of $250,000 will be paid before August 31 and the remainder over the next twelve months.
Mc Cammon was represented by attorney-at-law Mr. Mursulene Bacchus.
The Court documents were filed by another attorney-at-law Mr. Perry Gossai, on behalf of Mc Cammon, on August 12, 2007, after the latter was acquitted of a murder.
The charge had alleged the unlawful killing of Police Constable Micah Cort at the Carib Soca Monarch Semi-Finals Competition, held on February 11, 2007, at Esplanade Ground, New Amsterdam, Berbice.
Azar was accused of having unlawfully assaulted and battered Mc Cammon, by shooting him twice with a gun in his flank and posterior extremities.
According to the writ, Mc Cammon suffered a punctured wound to the posterior right flank and a puncture wound to the right upper extremity.
The plaintiff said he was unable to move for several months after suffering the injuries for which he was hospitalised over months. He said he endured and still endures severe pain, and would not be able to walk normally nor ever work again.
In addition to travelling, medications, past loss of earnings as a mason and estimated future loss of earnings for the next 18 years, the writ claimed special damages with interest and costs.
Licensed firearm holder Azar, in his testimony at the concluded murder trial recounted, then, to Justice Winston Patterson and the mixed jury that he heard a gunshot, which came from the vicinity of the Carib Bar.
“Everyone started running and throwing themselves on the ground. I unholstered my weapon, whilst continuing to observe what was happening around the Carib Bar,” the witness said.
The Prosecution witness, whose licence was specifically for  a 9 mm pistol, had told the judge that, when the fighting parties were parted, it was then he recognised the other person, as being Mc Cammon, whom he had know around the township for two years prior to the incident.
Mc Cammon had what appeared to be a gun in his hand, pointed towards Cort, after which three gunshots were fired before the policeman fell and the shooter ran towards him.
According to the first witness for the State, after he had fired a warning shot and shouting ‘stop’, Mc Cammon continued running towards him with what appeared to be a gun in his raised hand.
“I fired two more shots in to the direction of his legs. He fell. I, immediately, holstered my weapon and went in search of Police Inspector Henry, whom I had seen earlier, in the vicinity of the DDL bar. I informed him of what took place and asked him to secure the weapon which the accused had,” the shooter testified.
Incidentally, Mc Cammon is currently a remanded prisoner, who was denied bail on three counts of robbery under arms and also faces a trafficking in narcotics charge.