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Linden Commission of Inquiry…APNU Vanessa Kissoon takes witness stand
– Says she was shot at by officer
APNU Parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon yesterday took to the witness box and was grilled about why she omitted a name of an officer whom she alleged shot at her on the night of July 18.
That officer implicated by Kissoon’s testimony is Assistant Superintendent Walter Stanton. Stanton has testified to running away from the scene of the protest after he heard persons saying “Kill de officer, he deh alone”. He was rescued by a police patrol vehicle that was in the area.
Vanessa Kissoon
Kissoon was asked by Commissioner K.D, Knights, for how long had she known Stanton. According to the witness she had known him some weeks before. She was then asked if she knew his name, and she responded in the affirmative.
Kissoon was asked if there was a particular reason why she didn’t identify him by his name, and according to her she was asked a series of questions by her lawyers and that wasn’t one.
Knights then asked Kissoon if she had read any of the evidence given during the commission and she said yes. She was then asked if she had read any from Stanton’s testimony, and again Kissoon answered in the affirmative.
The witness was asked if she read that Stanton had fled the area and she responded in the affirmative. Knights continued to ask Kissoon whether “fled” meant running away and she said yes.
“Is it after reading Stanton’s testimony that you made the association to identify him today?” Knights asked Kissoon. The witness denied this suggestion by Knights and said that she was telling the truth.
Kissoon told the inquiry yesterday that the crowd was shouting that he (Stanton) had just shot a man as he was running past her. Kissoon said that as Stanton ran past her he fired a single shot from a handgun in her direction. The woman said that she was shocked at the incident but later helped other protestors to get one the injured men to the hospital.
Lawyer for the Commission, Ganesh Hira, in questioning Kissoon asked if she knew if permission for the march was granted and she said yes. Kissoon was asked if she knew why the persons were protesting, and according to her they were protesting because of the electricity hike.
Kissoon spoke about what she did during the day and what she saw. Lawyer for the police, Hukumchand, cross-examined Kissoon. The question was put to the witness that Stanton had not used his weapon. According to the witness she was certain that it was Officer Stanton that fired in her direction and that she would be able to identify him.
He too brought up the fact that Kissoon did not mention Stanton in the statement she provided to the Commission.
Damages
Also yesterday, Attorney at law Latchmie Rahamat told the Commission that she was representing persons who suffered damages as a result of the protest. According to the lawyer she is representing Compton Fraser who will talk on behalf of the caretaking of the PPPC building in Linden.
According to reports, the building suffered some “interior” damages. The other names she called were Nigel Dharamlall, from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Derrick John, Collin Croal also from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Joclyn Miken, Khurshid Sattaur from the Guyana Revenue Authority, Savitri Kokley, Carlton Mohan, Bachan Mangra, Mahendra Lalman and Sheldon Mustaphsa.
All the names provided according to the lawyer are persons who sustained damages.
Later in the afternoon session videographer Vladimir Glasgow took to the witness stand. He was the person who made a video recording of the incident on July 18. He told the Commission that he started filming shortly after noon.
He also said that he was shot at several times to the leg and arm. He showed the commissioners his hands where he was shot. The witness said that after the confusion started he was running to save himself.
He said that he was standing about 80 feet from the police. The video aired yesterday in the inquiry, showed graphic images of the persons who were injured. The witness was then asked why he didn’t hand over the tape to the police. He said that he was afraid that they would take away his video recording.
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