-court told
A second man has been implicated in the alleged attempted murder of businessman Mohammed Baksh who was robbed and shot several times while in his yard.
Paul James, 41, of 33 Barrack Street, Kingston, was not required to plead to the indictable charge of attempted murder when it was read to him on Monday by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.
It is alleged that on August 7, at Lamaha Street, North Cummingsburg, James counseled and procured with Dexter Lynch and attempted to murder Baksh.
James’ attorney, Vic Puran, entered an application for bail at the Georgetown Magis-trate’s Court on Monday. He informed the court that the accusation brought against James stemmed from a business deal that had gone sour.
According to Puran, his client was in police custody on August 14 and an investigation was launched into the attempted murder accusation. However, he said that James was subsequently exonerated of the charge and “even given back his station bail.”
Puran said that Lynch who had also been accused of the same offence and later released on bail was said to have been in police “lock-ups” when the alleged offence was committed. The attorney later stated that a record of the incarceration was never made because Lynch was in the lock-ups and not in police custody.
The prosecution objected to bail stating their reasons as the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. Accord-ing to the prosecution, if Puran’s submission that Lynch was in prison on the day of the crime is true then some record would have been made.
“The man (James) owes me $31 million,” the virtual complainant (VC) Baksh told the court.
Baksh explained that James was his business partner. On the day in question, he said, as he was about to park his car at his North Cummingsburg home, he observed another car parked several feet from him.
The VC said that James and Lynch were seated in the other car and the latter suddenly disembarked the vehicle and shot him several times about his body. Baksh was hospitalized as a result of the gunshot wounds. He told the court that he would be fearful for his life if James were released.
Magistrate Robertson remanded James who has to return to court on Friday.
Lynch, 36, of Lot 63 West La Penitence Housing Scheme appeared before the same magistrate last Friday charged with the attempted murder of Baksh. It is alleged that on August 7 Lynch with intent to murder caused Baksh grievous bodily harm.
Mark Waldron, who represented Lynch, had described the charge against his client as “ludicrous and malicious” in nature. He further told the court that he found it strange that his client had only then been charged with the offence.
Prosecutor Sherwin Mathews had promptly replied that the attempted murder charge was instituted only then because the VC was still hospitalized as a result of Lynch’s attack. Further, he stated that the police had only been made aware of the attack a while after.
Lynch’s matter was transferred to Court Five where he appeared on Monday and the matter is now due for report in that court on November 17.
Stabroek News had previously reported that Baksh, 38, had been admitted a patient of the High Dependency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) after three gunmen opened fire on him as he was attempting to park his car in his yard. The third accomplice has not yet been arrested by the police.
Police had said around 8:50 pm, Baksh went into his yard to park a motor vehicle when “he was reportedly attacked by three men all armed with handguns who discharged rounds at him.”
The businessman was hit in his right forearm and back and a .32 warhead was recovered at the scene by the police. However, a GPH release had later stated that Baksh was shot in the abdomen and right hand.
