The duo accused of the murder of Lakeram Bishundial, who was fatally shot during a robbery at Hope, East Coast Demerara in 2010, will have to face a retrial after the jury yesterday failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
After close to four hours, the 12-member jury returned to report to Justice
Franklyn Holder that they were at a deadlock. For each of the men, they were split 6 to 6. The men were returned to prison where they will await the next available time to face a second trial.
Shawn Anthony Thom, called ‘Malik,’ of 128 Third Street, Alexander Village, and Orin David, called ‘Plait Hair,’ are charged with murdering Bishundial, called ‘Mohan,’ of Manilla, Mahaica.
A third man, Sheik Alim Samad of Lot 128 Barr Street, Kitty, had also been charged with the murder but he was discharged at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. Deputy Superin-tendent of Police Michael Kingston had testified that Samad had given him information, including David’s name, false name and his location.
On August 21, 2010, at Hope, East Coast Demerara, Bishundial and his brother, Totaram, had stopped their vehicles and were talking on the road when two men rode up on a motorcycle. One of the men, who was armed with a handgun, got off the motorcycle, approached the two brothers and discharged rounds at Bishundial, hitting him in his abdomen. The armed man then grabbed a bag containing an undisclosed sum of cash and escaped along with his accomplice on the motorcycle.
Both Thom and David, in unsworn statements to the court, had said that they only saw each other for the first time when they made their first court appearance at the magistrate’s court.
Trenton Lake and George Thomas appeared for the accused while Senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie Mursalin presented the state’s case.
