Victim ordered:

A SANTA CRUZ man yesterday went on trial at the Port-of-Spain Fifth Criminal Court for shooting a gas station owner, in 2002, and robbing him of $14,000, a wallet containing $300, a driver’s permit, a Visa card and a MasterCard.

Ricky Lester, 25, of Santa Cruz, appeared before Justice Larry Lalla facing charges of robbery with aggravation, shooting with intent, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

Richard Medford, owner and managing director of Lopez Serivce Station, yesterday testified that Lester shot him in the right foot and in his waist, when he refused to hand over the bag of money. Medford, of Petit Valley, said he recalled Lester shouting, “Gimme the bag, gimme the bag.”

According to the State’s case, on September 16, 2002, at about 11.30 am, Medford was leaving the service station in Barataria to deposit sales at a bank. Medford was attacked by two men (the other person unknown), and one of them carried a gun. Medford was shot twice when he refused to give the men the bag.

Medford, in his evidence, said he was at the service station, clearing the weekend sales from the vault. The money amounted to $14,000. Medford said he wrote it up in the bank book, then put the cash and book into a denim bag and proceeded to the bank. At the time, he also had a wallet with $300, a bankcard and driver’s permit. Medford said as he was going to his vehicle, when one of his employees called him. That was when two men approached Medford demanding the bag. Medford said he felt a burning pain in his right foot and then saw the gun. When Lester demanded the bag a second time, Medford said he felt another burning pain in his waist. He then fell to the ground, and the bag was grabbed away from him by the men.

Attorney Ulric Skerrit represents Lester, while attorney Candia James appears for the State. Trial resumes today.