THE retrial of Krishna alias ‘John’ [one name] along with his son, Romel Krishna, who are indicted jointly for the murder of rice and cattle farmer, Shawn Fraser, came to an abrupt end after a report of impropriety was brought to the attention of Justice James Bovel Drakes at the Berbice Assizes.

Subsequently, the Number three juror, along with the foreman, the accused men, and their Counsels Mursulene Bacchus and Kim Kyte John, along with the daughter of the elder Krishna and State Prosecutor, Renita Singh was summoned into the Judges’ chamber.
Exiting half an hour later, Defence Attorney, Bacchus in addressing the Judge, made reference to the earlier held inquiry, and claimed to be satisfied with what transpired, and what would ‘in some way effect a fair trial.’
Consequently, he submitted that the trial be aborted. His colleague, Ms. Kyte John, along with State Counsel, Ms. Singh conceded with the application.
Addressing the prisoners in the dock, Justice Bovel Drakes said: “You have to return to the prison where your attorneys will advise you on another date.”
Meanwhile, after the Judge’s decision, the elder Krishna was seemingly displeased with the ruling, and was thereafter seen clutching at attorney-at-law, Ms. Kim Kyte John.
Earlier, the survivor of the Hogstyle backdam shooting, Audwyn Binder alias ‘Audwyn Fraser’, had testified how he witnessed his brother Shawn, being shot in his stomach by Romel Krishna.
Romel, along with his father Krishna, called ‘John’ faced the joint indictment under the Common Law.
The men, who had pleaded not guilty at their arraignment, are accused of unlawfully killing Shawn Fraser between July 27 and 28, 2011 at Hogstye Village, Corentyne.
The witness recalled in dramatic fashion how he fell backwards after he was shot by one ‘Bobo, who had seconds earlier pointed a shot gun at him.
Speaking in the creolese dialect which is practiced by the locals, Fraser said, “Me say to me brother Shawn me get shot. Me dead, and me go down.”
“My brother asked them is wha me brother do you, fu you shoot he,” before turning to face the accused men.
According to the witness, it was Romel, who then pointed a gun to my brother’s stomach before firing a shot, forcing my brother to drop the items he had in his hand.
“He fell backwards. His hands were upraised. John then pointed his gun to my brother’s head. I heard a loud explosion of the gunshot. My brother fell on his face. He did not move afterwards.”
Audwyn Fraser recalled that it was after he had witnessed the shooting incident that he got up, slipped the motor blower off his shoulder and ran.
He recalled that his body was swaying and as a result of that, he took his right hand and supported the other arm, resulting in him being able to steady himself.
“I then heard one of the accused men say, “Look one of them running away. I shouted for another brother, Ray. He was cultivating his farmlands. At that time I heard two more explosions like gunshots behind me.”
in her opening address, State Prosecutrix Ms. Renita Singh, said Shawn Fraser, aged 36 years of Hogstye Village, and his brother, Audwyn Bindah, called ‘Audwyn Fraser’, of 11 Adventure Farm, Corentyne, are cattle and rice farmers.
On July 27, 2011, they left Shawn’s house on tractor to go to Hogstye backlands to spray rice.
On their way, they saw three men, namely Krishna called John, his son Romel Krishna, called ‘Romel’ and one Bobo, who were plowing with a tractor on a cross dam.
The Fraser brothers made a stop opposite the two accused and Bobo, to release the water from the rice field into the trench.
Then, as Audwyn and Shawn were leaving to go to spray the rice, Audwyn noticed that the three men had parked their tractor and were under a tree in front of the reef.
Ray, responding to the shouts, saw that his brother’s skin was bloodied, and that the two accused, and Bobo each armed with guns, were pursuing his sibling. Gunshots were fired and Audwyn fell to the ground. There were bloodied holes in his back and chest cavity.
Subsequently, the matter was reported at Whim Police Station. Shawn Fraser was pronounced dead at the Port Mourant Hospital, while Audwyn was taken to the New Amsterdam hospital.
A post-mortem report prepared by Dr. Nehaul Singh stated that the cause of Shawn Fraser’s death was due to perforation to the lung due to penetrating wounds to the chest, compounded by fractured skull.