Berbice phone card dealer murder trial

State expected to call 1st witness after completion of voir dire

The State is awaiting the completion of a voir dire (trial within a trial) before it is allowed to call its first witness in the Adventure phone card dealer’s murder trial.
The State was expected to call its first witness on Monday but lawyers representing the five accused made several legal challenges, thus resulting in a voir dire being held.

Mark Dhuman, Abdul Salam Azimullah called “Sato”, Shuman Batson, and Satesh Budram and Zaheer Abdulla called “Gold Teeth” are on trial for the February 8, 2017, murder of phone card vendor, Danian Anthony Jagdeo.
The State’s case is being presented by Attorney-at-Law Abigail Gibbs.
The five accused are being represented by attorneys Siand Dhurjon, Moti Singh, Ravindra Mohabir, Sasha Roberts and Surihya Sabsook. The trial is being presided over by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court.

In presenting the State’s case to the jury, the prosecutor said the five accused are responsible for robbing and murdering Jagdeo.
She said it was during the course of the robbery that he was shot and told the jury that the State has witnesses to prove such. The State is expected to call its first witness on Thursday once the voir dire is wrapped up.
It was reported that Jagdeo, 36, of Lot 12 Section G, Kings Street, Williamsburg, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was robbed and shot to death.
He was reportedly distributing phone cards to his customers and was about to close off for the day when he was robbed.

At Adventure, Jagdeo stopped at Country Chef Creole Snackette and was in conversation with the business owner when a lone man pretending to be a customer walked into the establishment.
Reports are that Jagdeo enquired whether the business owner knew the strange-looking man entering the premises; however, before the owner could respond properly, the man whipped out a gun and aimed it at Jagdeo.
Upon seeing this, the business owner ducked under the counter while several shots were fired.
When the businessman resurfaced, the bandit was running out of the shop with Jagdeo’s bag while the injured man lay in a pool of blood. Jagdeo was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.