By Michelle Outridge

MOHAMED Chand, husband of Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre testified yesterday as the trial of five men accused of invading their home on July 9, 2015 continued at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, East Coast Demerara.

During his testimony before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, he told the court that as a result of the severe beating he received at the hands of the five men after being awakened from his sleep at 01:00 hrs, he has lost sight in his right eye even after he underwent three surgeries in the United States.

Chand gave a detailed account of what had transpired on the fateful morning when five men broke into his home and assaulted him and his wife after which they carted off money, among other things, including, brand name watches, and sunglasses.

He said all the men were unmasked and had spent most of the time in the master bedroom and the walk-in closet area where he was dealt many blows with a gun to his head, face and temple by the robbers who kept asking him for money.

Chand identified two of the five men in the courtroom yesterday and pointed out Nicholas Narine, Daymein Millington and Warren McKenzie as the ones who had beaten him repeatedly with their guns when he tried to get up to defend his wife, whom they had dragged into the bedroom and thrown to the ground and was hitting her to the face.

He recalled his mouth being duct-taped and his hands bound after he was awakened by a man standing over him while he was in bed. The man reportedly told him to “get up.”

Chand said he got home at 22:00hrs and after he had checked his then 10-year-old son and wife before he settled in bed at about 23:00hrs, but not before securing his three-storey concrete house in the gated community at Lot 2 Area ‘G’ Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

He told the court that Warren McKenzie asked him “Where the money deh, where the f….ing money deh” and he told him there was no more money after he had handed over US$8,000 in cash. He was then told “this can’t be it, you have such a big house like this and don’t have more money?”

‘BLACKED OUT’
Chand said he was beaten so badly he “blacked out” after being hit in the head, face and temple so many times after he repeatedly told the bandits he had no more money and valuables.

He spoke about being rescued by his wife who went into the bedroom and cut the duct tape he was tied up with and called the police, but no one answered and she telephoned a friend who arrived at their home and took them to the hospital.

Chand said he spent several days at the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital where he was treated for injuries to his right eye which was bleeding profusely as well as injuries to the face and temple.

In court, he produced a medical report which was admitted and tendered as evidence in the trial, and told the court he was relieved of his wedding ring, brand name watches and sunglasses, and a Samsung galaxy S5 cellphone.

The businessman added that on July 11, 2015, he underwent three surgeries for his eye which was removed. He eye was in two pieces from the blows he received.

Chand said he had 61 sutures on his right eye and three other separate sutures on his head and temple.

Justice Nicola Pierre also continued her testimony in which she recalled her identification parade which the police in the form of the then Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Reid via Skype since she had left Guyana for medical treatment overseas.

She was in Canada and had surgery for her face which was disfigured from injuries she received at the hands of the bandits.

Justice Pierre told the court that she had recognised and identified three of the five accused after she was told by ASP Reid that the men in the line-up dressed in similar clothing, features and built may or may not be the men who went to her home.

She identified Premanuth Samaroo, Daymein Millington and Warren McKenzie and when questioned by Special Prosecutor Nigel Hughes yesterday, she stated that she did not give permission for the men to enter her home nor did she permit them to take away anything.

The judge told the court how she was beaten and hit in the face several times by the robbers, who were all armed and was shown two watches via Skype by the police and she spent several days at Dr Balwant Singh Hospital, after which a medical was given to her by Dr Kishore Persaud. It was admitted and tendered as evidence in the trial yesterday.

Attorney Adrian Thompson was notably absent yesterday in court. Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul asked Samaroo and Narine if they had heard from the lawyer and they both said he was coming, but he did not show up.

During the first day of the trial which started on Monday, it was agreed by Special Prosecutor Nigel Hughes and Defence Attorney Adrian Thompson that the five men would be jointly charged.

After the trial was adjourned, relatives of the accused stood in front of the Sparendaam Police Station and began taunting Justice Nicola Pierre, her husband and others who were with them yesterday afternoon.

As the Judge, her husband and others in their company exited the courtyard, they were escorted to their vehicle by an officer, who after they had left told the unruly group that if they ever behaved like that again he would arrest them.

The trial continues today (Wednesday) at 14:30 hrs at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

Premanuth Samaroo, Daymein Millington, Nicholas Narine, Anthony David and Warren McKenzie are jointly charged with robbing Justice Nicola Pierre and her husband, Mohamed Chand as well as shooting at a security guard on July 9, 2015.