Decision today in attempted murder case against gardener

A verdict is expected today in the case against Tortuga gardener Eugesh Sookhoo, who is on trial for attempting to murder and committing grievous bodily harm against his former employer’s teenaged daughter. Trial Judge, Justice Melville Baird is expected to summarise the case for the nine-member jury panel, who will then retire for a verdict. For the last four days in the First Criminal Assizes in the San Fernando High Court, Justice Baird and the jury have heard evidence on the incident, which occurred some two years ago.

The State’s case against Sookhoo, 36, of Cedar Hill Road, is that on February 11, 2001 he attempted to choke Tishura Chinnia to death while she was asleep in a bedroom. Chinnia, who was left physically disabled following the incident wept openly in the courtroom as she identified Sookhoo as her attacker, and detailed the incident to the judge and jury. A police officer, constable Steve Haynes, also testified that Sookhoo confessed to the crime at the Gran Couva Police Station. On Friday, Sookhoo was called into the witness box by his attorney Ian Gray, denied committing the offences against Tishura Chinnia, who was 16-years old at the time of the incident. Sookhoo testified that he went to the police station to report that six men had beaten him up, when Cpl Best dragged him aside and informed him that he was charged with the offences. The case continues today at 9 am.