Barataria murder trial aborted again

For the second time in seven days, the murder trial of five men charged with the slaying of Barataria handyman Roger Alexander was aborted yesterday, by trial judge Justice Rajendra Narine. And for the second time, the judge placed a gag order on the media not to disclose the reasons for the trial being aborted. However, the trial was relisted to start next Monday. The trial was aborted yesterday while special prosecutor Rangie Dolsingh SC was leading the evidence from Komo George, a key State witness. The defence attorneys made certain objections, and after the judge heard submissions, he told  the jury that having heard submissions from the attorneys, he was aborting the trial in the interest of the accused having a fair trial.

On trial were Garvin Sookram aka “Bean,” John Wayne Alleyne aka “Bumbles,” Junior Sookram aka “Country,” Hassan Sanchez and Ronald Gaskin aka “Doom.” They are charged with the murder of Alexander, aka “One Arm,” on August 19, 2000, at Saw Mill Avenue in Barataria. Alexander, 34, a father of one, was shot in the back four times. The trial had started on Monday and already 11 of about 25 State witnesses had testified in the Port-of-Spain First Assizes. On Friday May 7, when the matter was first called, the trial had to be aborted because of an incident involving a particular juror, even before Dolsingh opened his case.

The trial was halted yesterday when Komo George was testifying. George told the court that he was liming with friends, including Alexander, near a shop on the corner of Small and Garrick Street in Barataria, when he saw Garvin Sookram with something resembling a small gun in his hand, and his cousin Junior Sookram, with something resembling a pump action shotgun. George, 33, who was living at Saw Mill Avenue at the time, said he also had a 9mm pistol in his pocket. He said he kept the gun for protection since someone by the name of Clinton died. He explained that he was unaware that the gun in his pocket went off accidentally, but “thought it was those guys firing” at him, so he ran into the bushes to hide. It was then that he realised that it was his gun that went off.

About three to five minutes later, he heard a voice cry out, “Who bust that shot?” He said the five accused asked the same question. He told the jury that “the place went quiet” for a while and then Garvin Sookram said, “Every body get off the block “and a little stampede started and the place get quiet.” A short time later, he came out the bushes and started walking up Garrick Street. While walking, he heard several gunshots coming from Small Street. Pamela Elder SC and Owen Hinds Jr represented Garvin Sookram, Osbourne Charles SC and Elvis O’Connor were for John Wayne Alleyne, Sean Cazabon and Dawn Mohan represented Junior Sookram, Keith Scotland and Michelle Solomon were counsel for Hassan Sanchez and Margaret Rose and Richard Mason represented Ronald Gaskin.