Brother of deceased gives conflicting evidence in testimony

TOTARAM Bishundial, whose brother Lakhram was shot in the Mahaica felony murder in August 2010, has given different accounts in his testimony about the incident and the identification of the accused.
And when re-examined by Senior State Counsel, Mrs. Judith Mursalin, he accepted his denials and admissions but had no explanation to offer.
In his examination-in-chief he said that he was able to recognise the gunman who shot his brother that day at Hope and at the Victoria Gas Station when he saw him again with the money bag.
He made it clear that he attempted to run his vehicle onto the gunman, whom he later identified at an ID parade.
But under cross-examination by Mr. George Thomas, defence counsel for the number two accused, Shawn Thom, the witness went through a trauma where he was admitting and denying things that he had already answered in the negative or positive as if he did not understand the questions put to him.
Lakhram was shot on the Hope Public Road during a $500,000 robbery/murder in 2010. Totaram had identified Shawn Thom as the gunman who opened fire after demanding a bag with money.
Witness said he was taking his brother to the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and when he reached by the Victoria gas station, he saw money flying around on the road.
He also saw the man with the money bag and gun and he tried to drive his vehicle onto the gunman but the vehicle hit a concrete basement. The man hopped into a white car and he tried to catch up with it but it was a faster vehicle, and the gunman, whom he had recognised, escaped.
Tuesday, the witness told the judge and jury that this did not happen because he was concerned with getting his brother to hospital as quickly as possible.
The witness said he took Lakhram to the hospital but was later told that he had died.
He said subsequently he identified the gunman at an identification parade at the Turkeyen Police Station.
The trial is continuing before Justice Franklyn Holder and a mixed Demerara Assizes jury.
The number one accused is Orrin David who is being represented by Mr. Trenton Lake.

(By George Barclay)