Witness: He hit her 8 times with a pipe

Paula MacIntosh, called yesterday as a State witness in the Valentine’s Day murder trial, in which Boban is on trial for killing his wife, told the jury, "he swung it (pipe) in a circular motion over his head and he struck her on the top of her head."

MacIntosh told the judge and jury in the San Fernando High Court that when she saw this, she confronted the accused, but he continued to strike his wife with a piece of pipe.

Boban is on trial before Justice Davan Rampersad in the San Fernando High Court for killing Farida Sookram, his wife of 14 years. The incident occurred at about noon on February 14, 2003, outside the couple’s house at Mulchan Trace, Siparia.

MacIntosh testified that she was cooking a meal at her boyfriend’s apartment at Mulchan Trace at the time. The woman said she suddenly heard three loud screams and looked out the window.

In answer to questions by State attorney Angelica Teelucksingh, MacIntosh said she saw Sookram sitting in a drain and the accused Boban "standing over" his wife with a large stone in his hand. The deceased woman, the witness said, was complaining that her leg had been broken.

MacIntosh told the judge and jury that she heard Boban say, "You see the six children you have home. Furthermore, the last one I want you to take it." The witness told the court that she continued her cooking, but returned to the window to see Sookram sitting in the neighbour’s yard.

Continuing her testimony, MacIntosh said she saw Boban take up a piece of pipe and walk over to his wife. Sookram’s back was turned to her husband, MacIntosh told the court. The witness said when she saw Boban approach Sookram, she shouted, "Don’t hit the woman!"

MacIntosh said Sookram looked over her shoulders and raised her hand, when Boban brought down the steel pipe on her head. "He swung it in a circular motion over his head and he struck her on the top of her head," MacIntosh said.

MacIntosh said she (MacIntosh) began to scream. She recalled Boban hitting his wife at least eight times.

When Boban walked away from his wife, Sookram lay on the ground gasping for breath. "Blood was coming out of her eyes," the witness said.