Trial of businessman underway for murder of suspected bandit

The trial of businessman Lawrence Wayne, who is accused of the fatal shooting of suspected bandit Dexter Lindo, commenced yesterday before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown.

The charge against Wayne is that between August 23 and August 24, 2014 at Alberttown Georgetown, he murdered Lindo. He has denied the charge.

Testifying yesterday were the mother and stepfather of the deceased—Allison Collins and Andrew Dewsbury, who recalled being summoned to the hospital, after learning that their son had been shot.

Lawrence Wayne

They told the court that after arriving at Dr Balwant Singh’s Hospital on the afternoon of August 23, they saw Lindo’s motionless body in a room, as he was being prepped to undergo emergency surgery.

Collins then tearfully recalled receiving a phone call from the doctor about 5am the following day, summoning them to the hospital. Upon arrival, she recalled being given the news that her son had died.

The woman struggled to hold back her tears as she recalled seeing her son’s body lying on a bed, covered with a sheet.

Testifying, also, was Detective Sergeant Hamlet Da Silva, who told the court he arrested Wayne at the Eugene F Correia International Airport on May 18, 2015, moments after the accused arrived in the country.

After putting the allegation to Wayne and cautioning him, Da Silva said he (Wayne) asked, “Duh is wah you come fuh?”

Asked by defence attorney Stanley Moore under cross-examination, whether he knew of Wayne being discharged of the offence in the Magistrates’ Court at the conclusion of a preliminary inquiry (PI) into the charge, Da Silva said yes.

He agreed with Moore’s follow-up question that the law allows for a Magistrate to discharge a murder-accused on grounds of insufficient evidence.

The witness said he also knows that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) can reopen a case for which a person has been discharged. Asked if this is what was done in Wayne’s case, Da Silva again answered in the affirmative.

On October 16, 2015; Wayne was discharged of the capital offence, at the conclusion of a PI. Four months later, however, he was rearrested on the advice of the DPP who ordered that the case be reopened.

The case had been discharged by Magistrate Ann McLennan who upheld a no-case submission made by Wayne’s attorney at the time, Mark Waldron.

Lance Corporal Desmond Johnny, who photographed the crime scene, also testified yesterday.

The 13 crime scene photos which he took, were tendered and admitted into evidence, as was a .38-calibre spent shell, which he said he recovered at the scene.

Wayne is represented by Moore, in association with Maxwell McKay. The state’s case, meanwhile, is being led by Prosecutor Shawnette Austin, who will be calling about 20 witnesses.

The trial continues on Monday morning.