Licks like peas for South bandit

DRIVEN BY FRIGHT on seeing a bandit viciously chopping his employer with a cutlass, supermarket employee Sookraj Bochoon picked up a can of peas and flung it at the attacker. Bochoon’s reaction not only helped his employer to seize the cutlass from the bandit, but also led to the bandit’s capture. This was part of the evidence heard yesterday as Bochoon testified against three men on trial in the San Fernando High Court accused of committing assault on Parmanand with intent to rob him; and wounding Parmanand with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The three accused — Jason Edwards, 28, Anthony Augustus, 28, and Andrew Sookhan, 27, are before Justice Alice Yorke Soo Hon in the Second Criminal Assizes.

Defence attorneys in the trial are attorneys Wilston Campbell and Beecham Maharaj, while the prosecution is led by State attorney Narissa Ramsundar. Bochoon testified yesterday that around 7.10 pm on May 27, 1995, he was at his workplace at Public’s Supermarket, San Francique, when three men, one armed with a cutlass and another with a gun, stormed into the businessplace and announced a hold-up. Forced to the floor of the supermarket, Bochoon said he heard a “click” and realised the locks to the glass front door of the grocery were activated. As two of the bandits shouted.  “We get lock inside! Police coming now!” Bochoon said the one holding the gun shattered the glass door with the gun-butt. Two of the robbers escaped, while the one who remained launched an attack on Bochoon’s employer.

Bochoon, now a security guard, told the nine-member jury that the first bandit jumped on the counter-top and began firing chops at Parmanand, who was lying behind the counter. The witness testified: “On seeing that I get frightened for Mr Parmanand and I grab a peas tin from the shelf. I pelt the man (bandit) somewhere about his face. The man drift a little bit and Mr Parmanand get a hold of the cutlass.” Bochoon and his employer eventually captured the bandit, whom the witness identified as accused Edwards. The case continues on Monday.