Cop testifies about accused handing over gun

West Canje land dispute murder trial

A policeman yesterday testified about the man accused of murdering West Canje resident Errol Lindo handing over a Taurus .32 pistol.

Charles Henry called `Bristol’ is on trial at the High Court in Berbice for the unlawful killing of Lindo alias `Son Son’, on April 16, 2014 at Caracas, West Canje.

Following a delay in the arrival of the main witness, Travis Crandon,

State Prosecutor Natasha Backer successfully interposed another witness, Corporal Phillip Walters.

 Errol Lindo
Errol Lindo

Walters, a member of the Anti   Crime Squad told the court that he  had accompanied Corporals Indarpaul and Cort  to High Dam, the scene of the alleged shooting  where he saw the accused, Henry under a shed at approximately 1730hrs.

Questioned by Corporal Indarpaul, the witness recalled   the accused stating that he was a licenced firearm owner, before he handed  over a Taurus .32 pistol which was concealed under his shirt. Further, two magazines along with sixteen matching rounds were given to the witness.

Walters told Justice Franklyn Holder and the mixed jury that the accused in responding to Indarpaul said he got permission from his lawyer to break down Lindo’s House.

Meanwhile, in response to defence counsel Nigel Hughes, the policeman said the crowd was hostile to Bristol and his vehicle was overturned and set afire, resulting in police ranks firing shots to control the crowd.

When Crandon resumed his position in the witness box, he told the Court that he had helped Lindo’s  now deceased sister to sap the injured man’s blood as it flowed from a wound on his left shoulder, mere minutes after the injury was sustained.

Although he agreed with Hughes that he had never mentioned rendering assistance previously, he was nevertheless adamant that he was indeed at the scene and had not arrived there afterwards with his wife and a policeman as the defence lawyer was suggesting.

Charles Henry
Charles Henry

The Judge was forced to raise his voice above normal tones to keep the witness in line after Crandon complained of being asked the same question repeatedly by Hughes.

Responding to Backer during re-examination, the witness said he had bad blood with the man in the dock as he (Henry) had threatened to bulldoze his place.

“But I told him if he had he documents for the place I will deal with him right but, if he did not have documents I could not deal with him. But I do not have bad blood now. I had forgotten about the incident as he did not bulldoze my place”, Crandon told the court.

Further, Crandon said, his evidence varied from that of the police statement and his deposition as he was confused.

The trial is continuing