Accused confesses, and cop admits to lying in attempted murder case

A POLICE officer who laid charges against attempted murder accused Eugesh Sookhoo, testified yesterday that the accused confessed to him that he committed the offence. But later in his evidence the officer admitted to lying.

Recalling the interview when Sookhoo allegedly made the admission, Constable Steve Haynes told the court: “His exact words were ‘I went by Holly home and choke he daughter’”. Sookhoo, 36, of Cedar Hill Road, Tortuga, is on trial before the San Fernando First Criminal Assizes for attempting to murder and committing grievous bodily harm to teenager Tishura Chinnia, also of Tortuga. Sookhoo, a former worker of the victim’s father, allegedly choked and bit the girl, then 16 years old, about her body on February 11, 2001, while she was alone at home. Haynes, who spent most of the day’s hearing in the witness box yesterday, was called to give evidence by State Prosecutor Narissa Ramsundar.

He told the court that on the date the offences were committed he was on duty at the Gran Couva Police Station when he was called out to the Couva District Hospital where he saw Chinnia lying on a bed with bruises to her neck, face, hands, back and feet. The policeman said he visited the home of the victim and observed the living room ramsacked, with chairs, cushions and the Christmas tree down on the floor. Haynes testified that he sent other officers to search for the accused. This part of his testimony was raised under cross examination by the defence attorney, who claimed Haynes had testified in a preliminary inquiry at the Couva Magistrates Court in 2001, that he went to look for Sookhoo. Haynes admitted yesterday however, that he did not go to look for the accused, but other policemen conducted the search. 

The policeman went on to tell the court that three days after the incident, around 8.05 pm, he was on duty at the station when he saw a man speaking to Cpl Best, and was introduced to him as Eugesh Sookhoo. Haynes said that during an interview, the accused confessed that he assaulted and choked his employer’s daughter. When cautioned, Sookhoo replied: “Boss I don’t know why I did it”. Under cross examination, the policeman said he did not record a statement from the victim, nor did a fingerprint expert accompany him to the scene of the crime. He said the incident was committed on a Sunday and none of the fingerprint experts were available that day.