A bird watcher charged with assaulting his neighbour four years ago was yesterday ordered to pay $500,000 in compensation after he was found guilty in a Georgetown court.
On July 9, 2011, Gajendra Narine, a bird watcher of 77 Light Street, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on Armando Nankumar at Light Street, Georgetown.
A trial into the matter began before Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond in Court 10, in 2011 but was delayed for several reasons including the suspension of Magistrate Chandan-Edmond. The trial concluded before Magistrate Alex Moore yesterday.
The matter was prosecuted by Lance Corporal Renetta Bentham.
The defendant, upon being called to lead a defence maintained his innocence, telling the court that he only observed the body of the complainant lying motionless on the road, after the man had previously verbally abused him. Narine stated that he had no knowledge of the charge made out against him.
According to the prosecution, the complainant and defendant were neighbours who were not speaking to each other. On the day of the incident, the prosecution advanced, the two men had an argument which prompted Narine to arm himself with a piece of wood and deal Nankumar a lash to his jaw, causing a fracture.
After Magistrate Moore considered the submissions, he informed the defendant that he was found guilty of the charge and ordered him to pay $500,000 in compensation to Nankumar by October 2015. Failure to meet the sum will result in two years imprisonment.
