“I saw only slapping and stamping” -star witness
WHEN  the ‘Bunty’ murder case continued yesterday before Justice Franklyn Holder and a  mixed jury, prosecution star witness Adrian James disclosed: “All I saw the accused, Sherwin Barnwell, called Reeya, or Rio, (do) to Nohar Bahadur, called ‘Bunty’, was ‘slapping’ and ‘stamping’ him. The prosecution, led by Senior State Counsel Zamilla Ally, in association with Miss Dianne Kaulesar, is hoping to prove by circumstantial evidence that it was the accused who had caused the death of 42-year-old Nohar Bahadur, called ‘Bunty’, between December 24th and 25th, 2006.
The doctor who performed the post-mortem testified that ‘Bunty’ died from the effects of a stab wound.
But when the star witness for the prosecution, Adrian James, was called to testify yesterday, he said that he and others were playing pool that night, after leaving a gas Station at Friendship, East Bank, Demerara, when he saw someone in front of him slapping another person.
According to him, he was being towed on a bicycle, and they quickened their pace. When he reached nearer, he realized that the accused, Barnwell, called ‘Reeya’, was the person who was ‘slapping and stamping away at ‘Bunty’, who was lying on the side of the road.
Witness recalled telling the accused that ‘Bunty’ was a good man who would not interfere with anyone.
In his evidence-in-chief, conducted by Miss Kaulesar, witness said that the slapping and stamping took place in his view, and nothing was blocking the view.
He said that the incident took place not far from the Didco Guard Hut, which was properly lit. According to witness, while this was going on, ‘Bunty’ was lying on his back on the side of the road and was moving about.  He was not motionless.
In answer to cross-examination, witness told leading defence counsel Mr. George Thomas that when he first saw the attack by the accused on the deceased, he was about a distance of 18 feet away.
In her opening address to the jury, the prosecutor told them there are five elements of murder, and in this case, those elements that the prosecution has to prove are the following:

(1) That the accused, Sherwin Barnwell, inflicted injuries on Nohar Bahadur.
(2) That as a result of those injuries, Nohar Bahadur died;
(3) That Nohar Bahadur died within a year and a day of receiving the injuries;
(4) That when the accused inflicted the injuries, he intended to kill Nohar Bahadur, or to cause him serious injury; and
(5) That when the accused inflicted the injury, he was not acting in self-defence, nor was the injury caused purely as a result of an accident.
The hearing continues today wit two defence counsels representing the accused – Mr. George Thomas, and Miss Norma Lewis.