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Freddie Kissoon denies KNews prompted him to testify in assault trial
– Magistrate declines to grant defence counsel request
Attorney Glenn Hanoman who is representing one of the men accused of assaulting Frederick Kissoon suggested that Kissoon is testifying in the trial and recalling events of the alleged attack as a ploy designed to attract public attention for Kaieteur News, given that the newspapers is responsible for the alleged perpetrators being charged.
This was suggested to Kissoon under cross examination by the Attorney.
However, Kissoon vehemently denied the suggestion deeming it “utterly ridiculous”. He said that he was in court to testify what had happened and was in no way instigated by the newspapers.
Kissoon completed his testimony yesterday before Magistrate Judy Latchman in the trial of Kwame McCoy, Jason Abdulla and Shawn Hinds.
The trio is accused of assaulting Kissoon on May 24, 2010, at Georgetown.
They have each been released on $100,000 bail.
The men allegedly threw fecal matter into Kissoon’s face when he emerged from the Nigel’s Supermarket, at Robb Street, Georgetown. It was reported that an individual walked up to the columnist’s vehicle and threw the substance on him.
After the attack, Kissoon reportedly drove behind the perpetrator who ran north along Light Street then went into North Road, before jumping into awaiting motorcar.
Attorney Latchmie Rahamat is representing McCoy; Attorneys Euclin Gomes and Glenn Hanoman are representing Abdulla; Hinds is being represented by Attorney George Thomas.
When Kissoon took the stand he was asked by Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick to recall what transpired on the night he was attacked; to explain where he was before he parked his vehicle and the events that occurred thereafter.
Kissoon recalled that on the day in question, he had left Nigel’s Supermarket on Robb Street, Georgetown and entered his vehicle which was parked nearby. He said that he had wound down his vehicle’s window when a man walked up and threw a substance on him.
The witness recounted that after the substance was thrown on him, a man of African descent walked away, jogged across North Road, proceeded down Merriman Mall and entered a motorcar. He also went on to describe his attacker’s height and body structure.
When asked by Prosecutor Bostwick if there were other persons in the car, Kissoon replied in the affirmative. However, when asked by the prosecutor to point out the person who had thrown the substance on him, Kissoon was unable to do so, indicating that the individual was not present in court. Under further cross examination by Hanoman, Kissoon said that he discarded the shirt he was wearing at the time of the attack, because he had no reason for wanting to keep a nasty piece of material.
“For such an event in your life you can’t remember what type of shirt you were wearing?” the Magistrate asked. Kissoon then sought to explain that it was an ordinary denim shirt.
In addition, Hanoman requested the Magistrate to warn Kissoon about his demeanour. At this stage, Kissoon asked the Magistrate to tell him what was wrong about his demeanour.
The Magistrate did not respond. Hanoman and Kissoon had an exchange of words after Kissoon refused to answer questions he said were not clear to him.
It was then that Hanoman asked the Magistrate to make a ruling on Kissoon’s competence to continue as a witness. The Magistrate did not do such.
During cross examination by Rahamat, Kissoon was asked how he was able to identify his attacker since he mentioned in his testimony that he was in a state of shock. In response, he told the lawyer that although he was in a state of shock, it did not affect his visual capabilities. During Kissoon’s testimony, Rahamat requested for the Magistrate to warn Kissoon. The Attorney did not specify what she wanted the witness to be warned about. Kissoon repeatedly asked Magistrate Latchman what the lawyer was implying, but she declined to answer.
The trial continues on August 29, when Kissoon is expected to be further cross examined by Hanoman.
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