The retrial of the duo accused of the murder Lakeram Bishundial, who was fatally shot during a robbery at Hope, East Coast Demerara in 2010, began yesterday in the High Court.
Their first trial had ended in a hung jury in March 2014.
With Justice James Bovell-Drakes presiding, State Attorney Natasha Backer yesterday called her first witness, police investigator Kester Moriah.
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.
According to reports, on August 21, 2010, at Hope, East Coast Demerara, Bishundial and his brother, Totaram, had parked their vehicles and were about to talk when two men rode up on a motorcycle. One of the men, who was armed with a gun, got off the motorcycle, approached the two brothers and discharged rounds at Bishundial, hitting him in his abdomen. Bishundial’s brother jumped into a nearby trench to save his life and the gunman and his accomplice fled the scene with a bag of cash.
Attorney Trenton Lake is representing Thom while attorney George Thomas is representing David.
In 2010, a third man, Sheik Alim Samad of Lot 128 Barr Street, Kitty, was arrested and charged with the murder also but he was discharged at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. A senior police officer had testified that Samad had given him information, including David’s name, false name and his location.
