…caution statements admitted into evidence

THE main trial for the alleged murder of Kumar Singh called “Mango Man” started in the Demerara High Court before Justice James Bovell-Drakes on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, when the caution statements for both accused were tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial.
The caution statements of murder accused Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Smallie’ and Sherwin Nero, called ‘Catty’ were read out in open court by police witness, Detective Inspector Singh on Wednesday morning. The witness testified that it was alleged that, on August 30, 2007, the two accused, seated in the prisoner’s box, murdered Kumar Singh called ‘Mango Man’.

According to the indictment, the duo was among four gunmen who, back in 2007, invaded Kumar Singh’s Cove and John, East Coast Demerara home during which Singh was shot and killed.

Both accused have retained the services of defence attorney Nigel Hughes while the State is being represented by Tameika Clarke and Tiffini Lyken.

During his evidence-in-chief, Singh told the court that he recorded the caution statements of both accused after they elected him to write same. He had put the allegation of murder to the duo, who indicated they wanted to make a statement.

According to the police witness, Williams told him, “Me ain’t went in the man (Singh) yard. ‘Coolie Boy’ and ‘Junior’ went in the yard. Me ain’t had no gun. Me been a lookout. Them boys go in the yard and spent five to seven minutes.”

Inspector Singh, reading from the caution statement of Williams, said “I hear gunshots and ‘Coolie Boy’ tell me that he shoot the man. I didn’t ask he why he shoot the man. I get $20,000 and the next day I hear that the man that get kill name ‘Mango Man’. Me ain’t know he right name.”

In relation to the caution statement given by Nero, Inspector Singh recalled that the murder accused told him that he did not go into the yard of the deceased on the night in question and stated that it was his co-accused, ‘Smallie’,  ‘Coolie Boy’ and ‘Junior’ who were there.

According to Inspector Singh, Nero told him that the three of them had guns and he heard shots being fired. “This is all me know about this wuk. Me later learnt that the man name ‘Mango Man'”, Inspector Singh said that is what Nero told him while he penned the caution statement.

The trial will continue before Justice James Bovell-Drakes in the Demerara High Court where more witnesses are expected to testify.

The two accused have been behind bars for almost 12 years for the murder of businessman, Kumar Singh, called “Mango Man”.

The trial has had several delays, including the fact that ‘Smallie’ had once escaped from prison. However, the case was finally called about a week ago with heavy police presence in and around the court after which they were in a lengthy period of voir dire (a trial within a trial) to determine the admissibility of the evidence.