A 23-year-old taxi driver was not required to plead yesterday to the charge of attempted murder over the shooting of a man at Twins Manufacturing Company, Industrial Site, when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that on February 17 at Georgetown, Terrance Morrison of 43 Princes Street attempted to murder Manzoor Alli when he discharged a loaded firearm.
Morrison’s attorney made an application for bail while acknowledging that the offence is an indictable one. The attorney told the court, “My Worship, I know the indictable nature of the offence but I’m still making a bail application for my client since the person he is alleged to have shot is now out of the hospital.”
The lawyer said also that her client had an alibi for the day in question as he was at Corriverton. Morrison “just being picked out at an identification parade (ID) was a mistake in identity on the part of the virtual complainant (VC),” the attorney added.
Police Prosecutor Denise Griffith argued however that bail be refused and the matter be transferred to Court Five for the magistrate there to make a decision since Morrison would also need to answer to the charge of discharging a loaded firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at that court.
Griffith stressed that if bail were to be granted to the defendant, there could be the issue of witness tampering. In addition, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant was positively identified in an ID parade.
Alli, an Independence Boulevard salesman, sustained a gunshot wound to the right arm following the incident which occurred around 4.30 pm on February 17.
According to the police, Alli and a female co-worker had a misunderstanding and the woman subsequently made a call on her cellular phone. Shortly after, the police said, motor car PLL 736 arrived at the location with two men inside.
One of the men who is believed to be close to the woman allegedly confronted Alli. After the shooting the men escaped in the vehicle. Alli was immediately taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical attention. He later sought private medical attention.
When the case was called in Court Five and Morrison made his appearance before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton, he was refused bail and remanded to prison. He has to return to court on March 31 for reports.
