‘This is the gun I used to kill Frank Santie’s son’
CANE harvester David Boucher, testifying in the Stewartville robbery/murder yesterday, told Justice Franklyn Holder and the jury at the Demerara Assizes how the accused ‘Boyso’ handed him a muddy gun to clean, and told him, “this is the weapon I used to shoot Vishnu Santie”. According to the witness, “Satnanand Sahadeo, called ‘Boyso’, had also told him that he and others had stuck up Vishnu in a robbery plan when the latter attempted to pull something from his waist.
“Believing that he (Vishnu) was attempting to shoot, and that his (‘Boyso’s) life was in danger, he and another shot out at Vishnu, killing him,” witness declared Boyso had revealed.
Accused Peter Ray Kassim, called ‘Donkey’, and Satnanand Sahadeo, called ‘Boyso’ are facing trial for the murder of Vishnu Santie, allegedly committed on June 29, 2005.
Attorney Mr. Hukumchand is appearing for Kassim, while Attorney Mr. George Thomas is representing Sahadeo.
Mrs Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, in association with lawyer Miss Renita Singh, is prosecuting.
Testifying yesterday, the witness Boucher said that on the 29th of June 2005, at about 9.15 pm, one Wazir, one Anoop, and Snowcone Man and he were standing by the Internet Café in Stewartville Pasture.
“Vishnu Santie was panting for breath, and blood was running out his body. There were other persons there.
“About a week after, (at) about 9.00 am, I was at home with my four children when Satnanand Sahadeo called out my name. He said he wanted me to do something for him, if I had the time. He came into my house. He raised his shirt and revealed what appeared to be a gun stuck in his waist. He took out the gun and asked me to look after it for him.  When I took the gun, I saw mud water dripping from it.
“He told me he threw the gun in a drain.  He asked me if I heard of the murder of Frank Santie’s son. He told me, ‘This is the gun I used to kill Frank Santie’s son’.
“He said that he and Peter Ray Kassim and Michael and a Buffiander chap whom he did not know went into Santie’s premises and stayed in the yard, waiting for his son to come home.
“When Santie’s son came home, he said, ‘them stick him up, taking him upstairs for his mother to open the door (so they could get) to rob the family.  He said Santie’s son Vishnu turned to them and said, ’is all yuh these boy’ and Vishnu appeared as though he was pulling something from his waist. He said he didn’t take any chance with his life, so, he said, the Amerindian boy shot Vishnu Santie.
“After that, he said he went home and threw the gun in his drain, so that is how it became wet and muddy.
“I told him that if he knew that people were going to rob the Santie family, he was living right in Stewartville, he should have protected the family. I told him also that even if Vishnu recognized him, he should have walked away instead of shooting him. He asked me to clean the weapon, and I told him I don’t know anything about this type of weapon. He asked me to (lend him) borrow $1500; I told him that I would get it from my neighbour, Shelly.
“I called out to her to come over. Sahadeo asked me if I can trust her and I said yes.  He asked me to request some oil from Shelly, so that he could clean the gun.
“Shelly came over and sat down in a chair next to where the gun was lying on the floor.  I told her that Sahadeo wanted $1500 to borrow because he went to rob Santie’s house but didn’t get any money, and he wanted some money to buy ‘teeths’, referring to bullets. She said she didn’t have the money at the time.
“Sahadeo told her to pick up the gun. She asked him how come the gun was in that condition. Sahadeo then told her the same story he told me about the attempted robbery and shooting of Vishnu Santie.”
Witness added, “On the 27th October 2005, about 5.30 pm, I was in police custody at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.  Later, in the CID Office, I met Sgt. David and Inspector Jessemine and Brandford, who questioned me about the Santie murder and I told them what I know.”
The hearing is continuing.