Land of Canaan businessman for trial over attempted murder of men

Businessman Dereck Jaisingh, charged with the attempted murder of two men who he allegedly shot last year, was committed to stand trial at the High Court yesterday.

Jaisingh, 32, a miner and the proprietor of Savannah Restaurant at Land of Canaan, was charged in November, 2014, with the attempted murder of Welton Edwards and Sherwin Hamilton.

Dereck Jaisingh
Dereck Jaisingh

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who presided over the preliminary inquiry into the charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1, yesterday found that enough evidence was brought before the court to have Jaisingh stand trial.

The charge against Jaisingh, who is a licensed firearm holder, stated that he discharged a loaded firearm at Edwards, 50, with intent to murder him. It was also alleged that on the same day, he discharged a loaded firearm at Sherwin Hamilton, 40, with intent to murder him.

Prosecutor Michael Grant, at the businessman’s arraignment, had said both men were at their Old Road, Land of Canaan residence when they received information that one of their relatives was at the Public Road involved in an argument.

As a result, they went to the scene and talked to Jaisingh, who Grant said started to shoot at them. Edwards was shot twice to his back, while Hamilton, who is his nephew, was shot six times to his lower body, including his left foot.

Jaisingh’s attorney had said that he felt that he was about to be robbed and used his weapon as a means of defending himself but the two complainants had said it was impossible for them to be mistaken to be bandits since they were well known to the businessman.