The father of Vishnu Santiee testified yesterday that he had seen and recognized two men who were involved in killing his son in 2005, but had not testified to this during the preliminary inquiry in the magistrate’s court.
Vishnu Santiee, 34, of Lot 57 Stewartville Pasture, West Coast Demerara, died on June 29, 2005 after he was shot seven times. A post-mortem examination performed by Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh had revealed that the man died of haemorrhage and shock due to several gunshot wounds.
Peter Ray Kassim, known as ‘Donkey’ and Satnanand Sahadeo, called ‘Boysie’, who are represented by Attorneys Hookumchand and George Thomas respectively, are before Justice Franklin Holder charged with the murder. When the trial continued yesterday, the court was told that on the night of the incident, Santiee left his home to visit his girlfriend in Uitvlugt and returned around 9:15 that evening. The dead man’s parents, 77-year-old Frank Santiee and 75-year-old Dhanpattie Santiee, both stated during their testimony that their son’s car carried two exhausts and as a result, it made a lot of noise.
Both witnesses indicated that they heard when their son drove his vehicle into the yard and locked the gate. His mother said that she heard scrambling sounds, while the father stated that he heard groaning. However, both of the dead man’s parents told the court that their son was heard screaming “Daddy they gon shoot me”.
Frank said he rushed outside and found his son bracing the rails of the staircase, slowly falling to the ground. He related that he held his son’s face and asked what had happened but got no response. In his opinion, his son was already dead.
His wife was said to have started screaming uncontrollably, attracting the attention of neighbours who took Vishnu to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital. He was pronounced dead on arrival.
Frank testified that he saw four men, two of whom he recognized, as they scaled the fence into the neighbour’s yard. The man further stated that he had known the two accused since childhood.
However, under cross-examination, the man said he told police that he had seen the two but the prosecution disclosed that this information was not mentioned in his statement. The man insisted that it was said but admitted that he did not indicate this earlier at the Magistrates’ Court. He said that he is an old man and was unable to remember everything at the time, adding that he was in a traumatized state.
Also testifying was Coreen Brooks, a resident of Stewartville, who told the court that a week after the murder, Sahadeo, whom she had known for about eight years, was sitting in her home with a gun in his hand. Police had later presented a gun to her and she had indicated that it was not the same weapon.
Taking to the stand yesterday was ex-policeman Narine Lall who assisted in investigations. He stated that John Michael Kassim, the brother of the number one accused, was arrested in connection with the murder but later freed.
According to him, Sahadeo had implicated the third man in his statement but when a confrontation was held with the man, denied this.
Ballistics expert attached to the CID at Leonora, Norris Harry, yesterday testified that he had collected spent shells from the home and body of Santiee. He is scheduled to continue his testimony today when he will also be cross-examined.
Prosecutors in this matter are Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Renita Singh.
