JUSTICE Dawn Gregory and a mixed jury at the Demerara Assizes yesterday heard the story about a man who allegedly wounded his reputed wife who fell unconscious; then believing that she was dead, he attempted suicide. Mohamed Usuf, called ‘Mark’, is now facing a two-count indictment for attempt to commit murder and unlawfully and maliciously wounding Sharon Ganesh, with intent to kill her, on April 25, 2007.
And in the alternative, the accused is also indicted for the offence of wounding with intent.
The accused has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is represented by lawyers Nigel Anthony and Lance Perreira.
The leading prosecutor is Miss Prithima Kissoon.
In her opening address to the jury, the prosecutor said, “Members of the jury, in as much as there are two counts; you do not have to commit him on both counts. If you find him guilty on the first count of attempting to commit murder, you do not have to consider the second count. But if you acquit him on the first count, you will proceed to the second count of wounding with intent.
The accused was the reputed husband of Sharon Ganesh, who bore him two children. At that time, the boys, Kevin and Brandon, were 14 and 7 respectively. Three years before Mohamed committed the offence, he was separated from his wife because of his violent behaviour.
On the 24th April, 2005, he went to the home of Ganesh, at Kuru Kuru Linden Soesdyke Highway, on the pretext of visiting his sons. He wanted to enter the house and she refused to allow him. He left. The mother and her two children went to bed as customary and she woke up on the morning of the 25th
April 2005 to prepare breakfast.
She opened the kitchen window and commenced preparing tea when suddenly she heard a sound and turned around and there was the accused standing with a knife in his hand. There is a hammock in the house and he commanded her to sit in it and he started arguing with her, saying, among other things, that he will kill her. He then took a wire and attempted to strangle her, saying, ‘I will kill you’.
Sharon Ganesh blacked out and regained consciousness at the Georgetown Hospital.
The couple’s son, Kevin had been on an errand and he returned to find his mother lying panting on the floor of the kitchen and his father hanging by the neck from a rafter.
He quickly grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and climbing on a chair, cut down his father from the rafter. He applied CPR and soon the accused was breathing heavily.
“The accused was arrested approximately ten days later and subsequently charged for the offences for which he stands indicted”, the prosecutor told the jury.
The hearing continues today.