A state witness yesterday testified that one of the men on trial for the 2008 Lusignan massacre claimed responsibility for the 11 murders.
The witness, Durwin Wright, told Justice Navindra Singh and a jury in the High Court that murder accused James Hyles told him that he killed the victims of the massacre.
Hyles, called ‘Sally’ of 70 Friendship, East Coast Demerara and Mark Royden Williams, called Royden Durant or ‘Smallie’ of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara are on trial for the 11 murders.
Wright, who is currently in protective custody, was himself charged with the August 2007 murder of Kumar Singh, also known as ‘Mango Man’ and was committed to stand trial in the High Court for the offence.
He was one of the four witnesses who testified yesterday for the prosecution, which is being led by Senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin in association with Tishana Lake. Gildharie-Mursalin told the jury, in her opening address, that on January 26, 2008, residents of Track ‘A’ Lusignan were awakened by the sound of gunshots. A gang of rampaging gunmen with only one apparent aim, which was to kill, fired shots into the modest homes of residents. In the aftermath, what could be described as a cold-blooded, brazen attack unleashed on a sleeping community, five houses were riddled with bullets, Gildharie-Mursalin said, while adding that 11 persons, including five children, lost their lives in the attack.
In his testimony, Wright recalled that on January 26, 2008, he was at home at Buxton when Hyles came and called out for him. He testified that he had known Hyles from going to Friendship. Hyles entered his home and told him to put on his television. Wright said, “I ask he why and he seh ‘Turn it on an see wah going on in the country.’”
According to Wright, he turned on the television to Channel 11 and upon doing so he saw footage of an East Indian man sitting in a chair and a woman in a stooping position on the ground with a child lying on top of her.
He said Hyles told him that the persons on the television were killed in Lusignan. Wright said he asked Hyles if he went to Lusignan and if he killed anyone and he responded yes to both questions. He added, “he tell me if I been deh I would a get the chance to kill some people.”
Protective
custody
After Wright’s evidence-in-chief, he was cross-examined by Hyles’ attorney, Nigel Hughes, who asked him where he has been living for the past six months. Wright said he could not disclose the location because he is in protective custody by the police.
Hughes then went on to ask him if he “used to move with Fineman [Rondell Rawlins]” and Wright admitted that he used to hangout and gaff with him about three times per week. Wright also volunteered that ‘Fineman’ was not one of the suspects in ‘Mango Man’ killing. This prompted Hughes to ask how he knew that ‘Fineman’ was not one of the suspects in the killing and Wright explained by saying that the people he took to the location did not include ‘Fineman.’
Hughes asked Wright about the location he was taken to after he was charged with the ‘Mango Man’ killing and the witness once more explained that he could not disclose the location, noting that after he left the Magistrate’s Court he went into protective custody.
Hughes then suggested to Wright that he asked for protective custody because he had cut a deal with the police but he denied this. When Hughes asked him about how he ended up in protective custody, Wright explained that he indicated in his statement to police that he was fearful,
The lawyer also asked Wright if he became aware that he was in protective custody after he had passed through the Magistrates’ Court just after he was charged and if he was separated from others when he came out of court. He indicated that he was indeed separated from others after he was charged and was aware that he was in protective custody after he passed through court.
He later said that he never inquired from the police where he was being taken, even though he did not know where he was going. When he arrived at the destination, he said, he still did not inquire as to why he was there.
Wright also disclosed that he had picked out Hyles in an identification parade although he never gave a description of Hyles to the police. Hughes then told Wright that the prosecution has no record of any identification parade being held and what he said is a figment of his imagination. Under questioning, Wright also admitted that when he was arrested, he was trying to save his “skin.”
Waking up to gunshots
Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased also testified yesterday. Zulika Baksh, Gomattie Thomas and Nazir Mohamed recounted waking up to gunshots during the wee hours of the tragic morning.
Baksh lost her husband, Shaleem Baksh, 55, while Thomas lost her husband Clarence Thomas, 48, her 12-year-old daughter, Vanessa Thomas and her son, Ron Thomas in the massacre. Mohamed on the other hand lost his son Shazam Mohamed, who was 22 at the time.
The other victims include Mohandai Gourdat, 32, and her two sons, four-year-old Seegobind Harrilall and ten-year-old Seegopaul Harrilall, Seecharran Rooplall, 56, his wife, Dhanrajie Ramsingh, 52, and their 11-year-old daughter, Raywattie Ramsingh.
Baksh said in her evidence that she and her husband were sleeping downstairs in their two-flat home when they heard gunshots. She said that they ran upstairs and sought cover under a bed. Her husband was then pulled out from his hiding place and gunshots were heard after, the woman recounted. Her husband was later found lying dead on the floor.
Mohamed recalled being awakened by gunshots and the sound of someone kicking and banging on his front door. His son, Shazam, was subsequently found lying face down with a wound to his back.
Like Mohamed and Baksh, Thomas also said that she and her family were sleeping when they were awakened by gunshots. Thomas said she heard footsteps on her steps and persons shouting “open the door!” Moments after shots were fired at the entire house and her two kids and husband were discovered dead.
The trial will continue today with the evidence of more witnesses.
