Accused Cyon Collier identified as one of the killers
BIBI Nazeem Neesha, who was robbed of $143, 000  in cash and jewellery, while her husband  Chandrapaul Persaud, also called “Kero man’  was killed in the same incident at Non Pariel, in September 2006, had identified  accused Cyon Collier as one of the robbers.
The woman, a star witness for the prosecution, told this to Justice Winston Patterson and a mixed jury at the trial of Cyon Collier which began at the Demerara Assizes yesterday.
She said that she had picked out the accused at a police identification parade.
Collier has pleaded not guilty and is being represented by Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Linden Amsterdam.
State Prosecutor Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, who, in association with Mrs. Teshana James Lake appearing for the prosecution, hopes to call 11 witnesses in support of her case.
One of the three witnesses called yesterday was Neesha, who declared how she was at her premises that night when she heard her husband shouting, “Thief, thief”.
She added, “Before I could turn around, two men with long guns, entered  my kitchen where I was. One of them asked me if I am the owner of the house. I said yes.
My three-year old daughter was crying.  The other robber, said ‘Let the baby stop crying’.
“The men were wearing black masks covering their noses. And they had their heads tied with a black cloth.
“One of the men then asked me for money and gold.    I told him that I am going to give him everything that I have and begged him not to hurt any of my children.
“I took him to the front room where I opened the wardrobe and showed him where the money was.  He took the money, about $100, 000. Then he asked for jewellery and I  gave him my jewellery valued about $43, 000.”
Continuing, the witness said that at this stage the second gunman who was in her kitchen told another gunman who was outside to ‘finish the man’.
She said, “I then heard three gun shots.  I begged the gunman in the room not to hurt any of my family.
“He walked out of the room, walked straight to my vehicle in the yard.  I pressed the MMC buzzer to indicate that I was in trouble.  I looked out and I saw a  third gunman  coming from the shop.  The three men drove away in my husband’s car, leaving their bicycles behind.
“I later saw the dead body of my husband lying on the road.  I screamed for  help and Intelligence officers came.
“I recognized the person who had me in the kitchen.    If I see him again I will be able to recognize him,” the witness told the prosecutor in her evidence in chief.    
She then pointed to the accused in the dock as the person she identified at the identification parade.
When the trial continues today, the witness will be further cross-examined.