Defence counsel grills relative of victims of near fatal attack

May 31, 2018 Court Stories, News

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The trial of businessman, Deryck Jaisingh, who is charged with two counts of attempted murder, commenced yesterday morning at the High Court in Georgetown, with Raymond Hamilton, a brother and uncle of the victims being called to testify.
Jaisingh is accused of firing shots at Sherwin Hamilton and Welton Edwards, the brother and uncle respectively of Raymond Hamilton.
Particulars of the first charge against Jaisingh, alleged that on November 2, 2014, in the County of Demerara, he discharged a loaded firearm at Sherwin Hamilton, called Nasty Man, with intent to commit murder.
It was further alleged that on the same day, at the same location, Jaisingh discharged a loaded firearm at Edwards, with intent to commit murder.
The accused, who is being represented by Attorney-law Nigel Hughes, in association with Attorney-at-law Ganesh Hira, has pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is out on $800,000 bail.
It is alleged that on the day in question, virtual complainants, Sherwin Hamilton and Welton Edwards, were at Old Road, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara when they received information that one of their relatives was being assaulted on the Land of Canaan Public Road.
When they arrived, the two men and Jaisingh allegedly became involved in a confrontation. It is alleged that Jaisingh, who was a licenced firearm holder at the time, took out his weapon and discharged some 13 rounds in the victims’ direction, causing them severe bodily harm.
Raymond Hamilton told the court that during 2014 he resided at Land of Canaan and worked as a bus conductor. He also testified to knowing Jaisingh, who he said, lived in the same community and operated a food shop.
Raymond told the court that on November 2, 2014 at around 22:00hrs, he had just finished working when he went at a Chinese Restaurant to purchase some beer when he was attacked by Jaisingh.
He said that Jaisingh sneaked up behind him and slapped him on the head.
Consequently, Raymond said, a scuffle ensued during which he was lashed to the head with a gun by Jaisingh. He said that while outside of the Chinese restaurant, Jaisingh picked up a white plastic chair and lashed him to the head causing him to fall onto the ground.
The witness said, “I didn’t tell the accused (Jaisingh anything) because I was scared. I was scared because I saw a firearm and I can’t fight with someone who has a firearm. I scream for rescue and about 10 minutes after people come and rescue me.”
According to the witness, while on his way home, he noticed his uncle and brother lying on the ground at separate locations in a pool of blood.
During cross-examination by Hughes, Raymond recounted that the incident between him and the accused lasted for about 30 minutes. Claiming that he sustained injuries after the attack, Raymond in responding to a question from Hughes told the court that did not see it fit at the time to see a doctor.
Questioned by Hughes in relation to a written statement he give to police, Raymond said that police ranks Singh and Frank who took the statement from him failed to document that he was beaten with a chair and gun although he complained to them.
“Yes! I told the police but they didn’t write it down,” Raymond insisted.
Prosecutor Orinthia Schmidt was then asked by the court to disclose if Raymond’s statement contained that he was beaten with a gun and chair. The prosecutor replied, “No”.
“Is she (the prosecutor) lying on you”, Hughes asked Raymond who said no.
During remarks to Raymond, Hughes told the witness that the only time he mentioned of being beaten with a chair and gun was during his testimony at the Magistrates’ Courts where a preliminary inquiry was held.
Raymond, however, only admitted that police rank Frank took the statement from him after Hughes pointed out to him that it was Frank who signed to the statement and not Police rank Singh.
In defence of his testimony, Raymond told the court, “Is all two of them (took the statement from him).”
When asked by Hughes to explain his reason for telling the court that it was police rank Singh who took the statement from him, Raymond said that he assumed that police rank Singh and the accused were friends.
It was then that Hughes put to the witness that he made such an assumption because of the similarity between the surnames of his client and the police rank.
“Y’all go to rob the man (Jaisingh) but y’all didn’t realize he was strapped (armed),” Hughes suggested to Raymond. The latter responded in the negative dismissing that he, his brother, uncle and other relatives wanted to rob the businessman.
Asked by Prosecutor Schmidt why he did not report the assault on him to police, Raymond stated, “Because everybody did focus on the two men (Sherwin Hamilton and Edwards) who got shot.”
In a follow up question by the prosecutor, the witness was asked to disclose what parts of his body he sustained injuries. The witness stated that he received injuries to his head and side and that his clothes were also torn.
Raymond replied in the negative when the jury foreman asked him if the accused had any reasons to attack him.
This trial is continuing.

 

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