Man accused of attempted murder had denied shooting victim – police witness

Oct 24, 2017 News

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Recaptured Camp Street prison escapee, Stafrei Alexander, who is on trial for attempting to murder Curtis Thom, after allegedly shooting him, had denied committing the act during a confrontation held between the two men at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.
This is according to Police Constable Jason Bobb, who was called to testify, when the trial continued before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the High Court in Georgetown.
The indictment against Alexander, also known as ‘Mad Dog’, alleges that on March 23, 2015 in the county of Demerara, he discharged a loaded firearm at Curtis Thom with intent to commit murder.
There was also an alternate indictment put forward by State Prosecutors Lisa Cave, Shawnette Austin and Tiffini Lyken. Alexander is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Stanley Moore.
Particulars of that indictment alleged that on March 23, 2015, Alexander discharged a loaded firearm at Thom, with intent to maim, disable, or cause serious bodily harm.
During his evidence, Constable Bobb told the court that he held a confrontation between the parties on November 7, 2015, after receiving instructions from Detective Inspective Singh.
He said that he told Alexander of an attempted murder allegation and cautioned him in accordance with the judge’s rule.
According to Constable Bobb, Thom told him that during March 23, 2015, he was in his yard feeding his dogs when Alexander passed him and grumbled something, to which he did not reply. The police witness recalled that Thom told him that Alexander shot him just as he was about to enter his house after feeding the dogs.
But according to Constable Bobb, Alexander denied being the shooter and told Thom, “Is not me shoot you. Is Coolie Boy shoot you!” Constable Bobb said that he made an entry, to this effect in the CID, Headquarters station diary, to which Thom and Alexander affixed their signatures. He recalled that this was done in the presence of Corporal Pickering.
Under cross examination by Moore, Police Corporal Detective Rawle Bacchus said he also put the allegation to Thom on November 7, 2015. He went on to explain that the allegation was only put to Thom then because it took police some time to locate him.
Corporal Bacchus admitted that there was at least an allegation that someone, other than Alexander, did the shooting. Corporal Bacchus insisted that the police pursued another suspect, whose identity was given in the case file as “Sea Boy” and “East Indian Male.” However, Corporal Bacchus conceded that there was no information within the case file to support that police indeed made efforts to pursue the person.
But under further cross examination by Moore, the police witness said that it was not possible for there to be another suspect, since Thom had already identified Alexander as the one who shot him.
In his evidence in chief, Corporal Bacchus related that during the month of March 2015 he was stationed at the East Ruimveldt Police Station. He said that on the day in question, he visited Thom who was a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Constable Bacchus said, “I interviewed him (Thom). He told me something and I saw a wound to his chest. As a result I returned to my station where records were made by Constable Tracey.”
The police witness said that three days later he revisited the Georgetown Public Hospital where he witnessed Dr. London performing a surgery on Thom in the operating room.
“I saw him (Dr. London) remove two metal objects from the body of Curtis Thom. He handed over the two metal objects to me. I kept them in my possession. I then returned to the station and placed them in two separate envelopes which I sealed with police seal.”
Corporal Bacchus recalled that on April 20, 2016, he took the two envelopes to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, and handed them over to Sergeant Nigel Gravesande for him to conduct ballistic tests.
He said he subsequently went back to CID Headquarters, where he uplifted the envelopes along with a ballistic report. The items, he added, were lodged at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost.
Corporal Bacchus also testified to uplifting a medical certificate in favour of Thom on May 27, 2016, from the records section of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
During his testimony, Sergeant Gravesande, a firearm and ammunition examiner, said that he received two white envelopes from Corporal Bacchus. Sergeant Gravesande further said that he examined the contents of the two white envelopes which contained two fired .38 spent shells led bullets which are components of ammunition.
Under questioning from the prosecution, the police witness told the court that he could not say from what distance the bullets were discharged. He explained that the trigger has to be squeezed every time a bullet is discharged.
In cross examination from Moore, Sergeant Gravesande said that he was not given the gun from which the bullets were discharged.
The trial continues this morning.

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