Latest update April 4th, 2025 12:14 AM
Freddie Kissoon assault trial……Court finds compelling evidence against accused trio
Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman yesterday ruled that based upon the evidence lead by the prosecution team against three men accused of throwing fecal matter on newspaper columnist and social activist Frederick Kissoon, she is of the opinion that a prima facie case has been established against them.
The defendants will today have the opportunity to lead their defence.
Kwame McCoy
Frederick Kissoon
Kwame McCoy, Jason Abdulla and Shawn Hinds are accused of assaulting Kissoon on Monday, May 24, 2010, in Georgetown. They are all out on $100,000 bail.
The ruling came one day after Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves submitted that there was sufficient evidence against the three men charged with common assault. The prosecutor told the court that the prosecution relied on Frederick Kissoon’s evidence, emphasising that he (Kissoon) did not give anyone permission to throw feces on him and assault him on the day in question.
Prosecutor Gonsalves added that the prosecution also relied on the caution statement by the number two accused, Jason Abdulla, which was given freely and voluntarily.
The prosecutor added that in that statement, Abdulla gave a detailed account of what transpired and his involvement on the day Kissoon was assaulted.
The court heard that Abdulla knew of the plot and assault against Kissoon and he did nothing to withdraw himself or to prevent the commission of the offence.
The Prosecutor added that based on the confession of Abdulla, he implicated both McCoy and Hinds in his caution statement.
Prosecutor Gonsalves submitted that all three defendants acted together to carry out the offence and all the witnesses called by the prosecution were deemed as credible, and for that reason, the court should call the defendants to lead their defence in the matter.
According to the prosecution, fecal matter was thrown in Kissoon’s face when he emerged from 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 onto North Road, before jumping into a waiting car.
Jason Abdulla
Shawn Hinds
Attorney Latchmie Rahamat is representing McCoy; Attorneys Euclin Gomes and Glenn Hanoman are representing Abdulla; Hinds is being represented by Attorney George Thomas.
Last year, when Kissoon was called to give his testimony to the court, he 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.
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