I dumped gun

A Barataria man told a jury yesterday that he had an unlicensed  9mm Smith and Wesson pistol for his personal protection, but dumped the loaded weapon in a garbage bin the night after his friend, Roger Alexander, 34, died after being shot four times. Komo Nigel George, 33, of Garrick Street in Barataria, was the eighth prosecution witness to be called yesterday in the murder trial. Garvin Sookram aka “Bean,” John Wayne Alleyne aka “Bumbles,” Junior Sookram aka “Country,” Hassan Sanchez and Ronald Gaskin aka “Doom” are before Justice Rajendra Narine in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court charged with  murdering  Alexander on August 19, 2000, at Saw Mill Avenue in Barataria. Alexander aka “One Arm,” a father of one, was shot in the back four times. Former deputy DPP Rangie Dolsingh SC is prosecuting the case for the State. He leads  senior prosecutor Jeron Joseph.

George told the jury of seven women and five men that a month before Alexander’s shooting, he had acquired the pistol because of rumours. But on the night of August 19, 2000, while liming with Alexander and other friends, his gun accidentally went off in his pocket. At the time, George said he did not realise that it was his weapon that went off, but thought that it was Sookram and others shooting at him. He said he got frightened and ran 40 feet away into the bushes to hide. About three to five minutes later, from his hiding spot, he heard Sookram ask, “who bust that shot?” The same question was asked by all the accused, George testified. George said Sookram then ordered “everybody get out the block.” Moments later, George left his hiding place and began walking towards his home when he joined up with two of his friends he was liming with earlier — Anderson Elcock aka “Speedy” and Junior Neptune aka “Neppy.” While walking, George said he heard several shots coming from the top of Saw Mill Avenue.

George also testified that he had picked up Alexander in his car at his Eighth Avenue Barataria  home and “went over to his side” of Barataria — Saw Mill Avenue — to lime by a shop owned by Lyndon and Agnes. While liming, he lent his car to “Plazaman” whose real name is Ray Rogers. After, George left for a short while to purchase a “ten piece” of marijuana and to pick up his 9mm pistol at his home. George said he saw Gaskin walking up the road but stood some 20 feet from where he was standing. Shortly after, Sookram and his cousin Junior Sookram joined Gaskin. Garvin, he said, had an object about eight inches resembling a gun in his hand, while Junior had a bigger object that resembled a pump action shotgun. George explained that he had his hand in his pocket when his gun accidentally went off. He said that it was only after he ran to the bushes that he felt a burning sensation in his leg and a hole in his pants. There were several “Ooohs” from the courtroom as Pamela Elder SC crossed-examined George, and demonstrated her knowledge of firearms and ammunition by the questions she asked.

George told Elder that while the 9mm was his personal gun, he did not check how many bullets it had. He said when he bought it, he was shown how to operate it and how to remove and replace the magazine, but never had the urge to rack a bullet in the chamber to see how it works. In response to more questions, George admitted that he wanted stopping power, but did not know if the bullets were hollow-point or otherwise. He said he did not sleep with the gun nor play with it. He said when the gun went off he did not have the “safety” on and later thought he had shot himself. Two days later, after talking to the police, he was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital to be checked for bullet wounds.

During Elder’s cross-examination, she emphasised the point that after the explosion of George’s gun, it was Garvin Sookram who enquired who “bust that shot” and it was he who suggested that everybody should clear the block. Elder, who leads Owen Hinds Jr and defends Garvin Sookram, will continue her cross-examination when hearing resumes today. Attorneys Osbourne Charles SC and Elvis O’Connor are representing John Wayne Alleyne, Sean Cazabon and Dawn Mohan are representing Junior Sookram, Keith Scotland and Michelle Solomon are representing Hassan Sanchez and Margaret Rose and Richard Mason are representing Ronald Gaskin.