Judge overrules no-case submission in Hope murder trial

Justice Franklyn Holder has overruled the no-case submissions that were made by the defence in the Mahaica murder trial.

The duo Orin David called ‘Plait Hair’ and Shawn Thom, of 128 Third Street, Alexander Village are charged with murdering Lakeram Bishundial on August 21, 2010 at Hope, East Coast Demerara. They will now have to lead their defence.

The prosecution, which is being led by Senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, closed its case last Wednesday after calling 14 witnesses.

Defence attorneys George Thomas and Trenton Lake had subsequently made no-case submissions in the absence of the jury. 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.

The trial will continue today.