Orin David yesterday walked out of the High Court a free man after a jury unanimously found him not guilty of the August 21, 2010 murder of Lakeram Bishundial of Mahaica.
A visibly relieved David walked calmly out of the prisoners’ dock and the courtroom after Justice James Bovell-Drakes informed him that he was free to go.
Clearly overjoyed by the foreman’s announcement of the verdict, one of David’s relatives had to be instantly upbraided by the judge to conduct herself properly after she began clapping and sounding her voice in praise.
The verdict was returned at approximately 4:10pm, after the jury deliberated for about an hour.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, the judge thanked the jurors for their attention and service.
David, called ‘Plait Hair,’ along with Shawn Anthony Thom, were charged with the murder of Bishundial who was fatally shot during a robbery at Hope, East Coast Deme-rara, on August 21, 2010.
Thom was cleared of the charge last Friday, after a no-case submission was upheld by Justice Bovell-Drakes.
Closing statements were made on Monday in the re-trial of David.
The re-trial came nearly one year after a jury failed to arrive at a unanimous verdict after nearly four hours of deliberation. For each of the men, they were split 6 to 6.
The men had been committed to stand trial in the High Court after a prima facie case was made out against them at the Magistrates Court.
The state’s case was presented by prosecutor Natasha Backer while David was represented by defence attorney George Thomas.
Police had said that the fatal robbery occurred at about 3.15 pm on August 21, 2010 as Lakeram was driving his motor lorry GGG 8273 along the roadway. He observed his brother, Totaram, in his motor pick-up. The two brothers stopped their vehicles and were talking on the road when two men rode up on a motor cycle. The pillion rider, who was armed with a handgun, got off from the motorcycle and approached the two brothers and discharged rounds at Lakeram, hitting him in his abdomen.
The armed man then grabbed a bag containing an undisclosed sum of cash from the pick-up and escaped along with his accomplice on the motorcycle. Lakeram was taken to a private hospital in Georgetown where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police added that diligent investigations and quick action resulted in the motorcycle, identified as being used in the robbery, being recovered at Victoria, East Coast Demerara. Further, investigations led to the rider of the motorcycle being apprehended in an abandoned house in Victoria.
